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Governed by the UAE Tennis Association, the Dubai Tennis
Championships is an integral part of the ATP and WTA
tennis tours. Started in 1993, this championship was
previously known as Dubai Tennis Open.
An outdoor hardcourt tournament, Dubai Tennis Championships is now known as Dubai Duty Free Men's and Women's Open. Held at the Dubai Tennis Stadium, this championship is organized by Dubai Duty Free Aviation Club Tennis Center. This stadium has a 5,000-seater center court, along with a VIP area and Royal enclosures.
Dubai Tennis Championships has witnessed participation of some of the biggest names in the tennis fraternity. Present world number one Roger Federer of Switzerland is a regular here, having won this championship thrice.
Other big names include Rafael Nadal (Spain), Fabrice Santoro (France), Nicolas Kiefer (Germany), Marat Safin (Russia), Goran Ivanisevic (Croatia), etc. The Dubai Tennis Championships 2006 men's singles was won by Nadal, who defeated the inimitable Federer in a captivating contest.
On the WTA front, Dubai Tennis Championships has been contested by celebrated tennis stars like Martina Hingis (Switzerland), Amelie Mauresmo (France), Justin Henin-Hardenne (Belgium), Lindsay Davenport (US), Svetlana Kuznetsova (Russia) and Maria Sharapova (Russia). The 2006 Dubai Tennis Championships was won by Henin-Hardenne, who defeated Maria Sharapova in straight sets.
Dubai Tennis Championships is passionately followed by locals, and thus, there is an ever-increasing craze of tennis in Dubai. In fact, many kids now dream of pursuing tennis as a career.
Dubai Tennis Championships also helps in the growth of tourism in Dubai. Tennis fans and aficionados from various regions come here especially for this event. And, the best part about it is the fact that it is usually scheduled alongside other popular events and exhibitions in Dubai.
A 'must-attend' on Dubai tours, Dubai Tennis Championships gives fans a great opportunity of watching their favorite tennis stars in action.
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