More than 120 children participated in the Dubai Duty Free Special Needs Clinic on the sidelines of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships on Wednesday.
Children from Dubai Autism Center, Dubai Center for Special Needs, Al Noor Training Centre, Manzil Centre Sharjah and from the Sports Heroes Academy at Sunmarke School, enjoyed tennis lessons and received a special visit from the tournament’s third seed doubles pair of Rajeev Ram and Ivan Dodig.
The Special Needs Clinic is specifically designed to offer a fun and complete tennis experience for children with special needs, and Ram and Dodig were pleased to be involved.
“I think it’s really great to see these kids who love tennis get a chance to participate in an awesome event like this, so it’s great to be a part of it,” said Ram. “I think all round everyone is having fun and you can see they are enjoying themselves. They are outside and they are doing something different so I think they are having a good time, I know we are.”
Dodig added: “It’s really nice to see so many kids here, enjoying the sport and trying to bring something new in their lives. We had great fun and hopefully they can continue to enjoy tennis. It’s always a pleasure for us to do this.”
Colm McLoughlin, the executive vice chairman of Dubai Duty Free, said: “This is our opportunity to give back to the community and every year we aim to provide a unique experience for these children. We are delighted with the turnout again and we hope we have offered an experience they will always remember.”
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Tickets, starting at Dh55, are available from the box office, which is open 9am-9pm daily, or online at dubaidutyfreetennischampionships.com.
