Dubai: Seven of the world’s top-10 female players will descend on Dubai next month to compete in the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, a high-quality line-up that also includes defending champion Jelena Ostapenko.
WTA World No.1 Iga Swiatek heads a star-studded field for the extravaganza at Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium, from February 19-25, which also includes Arab superstar and World No.2 Ons Jabeur; Jessica Pegula (No.3) and Caroline Garcia (No.4).
Fans will get to see 14 of the top 20 ranked players in action with Latvia’s Ostapenko, winner at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium in 2022, confirming she will defend her crown.
Grand Slam titles
Poland’s 21-year-old Swiatek added two more Grand Slam titles in 2022 to finish the year top of the WTA rankings, following up her second French Open title with a maiden win at the US Open. Her opponent at Flushing Meadows – Jabeur – meanwhile became the first Arab to reach a Grand Slam final when she progressed to the final at Wimbledon and again at the US Open last year. A crowd favourite, the Tunisian is the highest ranked African in tennis history.
Other names confirmed for the women’s tournament include last year’s Dubai finalist Veronika Kudermetova, the current World No.9; World No.8 Daria Kasatkina; 2017 US Open finalist Madison Keys; Dubai-based Spaniard Paula Badosa, and Brazilian No.1 Beatriz Haddad Maia.
