Former champions Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev are the latest big names to be added to next month's Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.
Medvedev, the 2023 champion, is heading to Dubai after a challenging season in which he finished without a title for the first time since 2017. Currently ranked fifth in the world, the 28-year-old Russian boasts an impressive 20 career titles, including the 2021 US Open.
Despite ending his year with a defeat at the ATP Finals, Medvedev will be looking to get 2025 off on the right foot by reclaiming his Dubai crown.
World No 9 Rublev claimed the Dubai title in 2023 and lost out on retaining his crown in last year's final to Medveded. He picked up two trophies last season, at the Madrid Open and Hong Kong Open. With 16 career titles, the 27-year-old Russian tands as a strong contender for another successful campaign in Dubai.
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Daniil Medvedev poses with trophy after beating Andrey Rublev to win the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships title on March 4, 2023. Reuters -
Daniil Medvedev after beating Andrey Rublev to win the Dubai Tennis Championships title. AP -
Daniil Medvedev with runner-up Andrey Rublev in Dubai. AP -
Daniil Medvedev celebrates his victory against Andrey Rublev in the Dubai Tennis Championships final on March 4, 2023. Getty -
Andrey Rublev with Daniil Medvedev after the match. Reuters -
Daniil Medvedev returns the ball during his 6-2, 6-2 win. AP -
Andrey Rublev plays a backhand in the Dubai final. Getty -
Daniil Medvedev during the final against Andrey Rublev. AFP -
A general view of play during the final at Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium. Getty -
Daniil Medvedev during the final against Andrey Rublev. AP -
Andrey Rublev in action during the final. Reuters
“This year’s ATP 500 tournament is shaping up to be another memorable event, and we’re excited to welcome back former champions Medvedev and Rublev,” said Ramesh Cidambi, managing director of Dubai Duty Free and chairman of the tournament’s organising committee.
“This is the 25th year of the WTA week and the 33rd year for the ATP week and over that time we have always had a fantastic line-up of players who provide the fans with a stellar fortnight of tennis and this year will be no exception.”
Joining Medvedev and Rublev will be world No 8 Alex De Minaur and world No 11 Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Australian De Minaur reached a career-high ranking of sixth last July and has secured nine ATP singles titles. Greek star Tsitsipas resume includes an ATP Finals victory and multiple Grand Slam final appearances, including at the Australian Open and French Open.
Completing the confirmed line-up is world No 19 Karen Khachanov. The 28 year old memorably defeated Novak Djokovic in the 2018 Paris Masters final to claim his biggest career title and reached the men’s singles final at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.
Tournament director Salah Tahlak said: “Fans from across the globe will be treated to another fantastic edition of the ATP 500 tournament. With some of the top players already confirmed and more to be announced in the weeks ahead, we’re excited about the competitive level of this year’s event.”
Meanwhile, a star-studded WTA line up will see the world’s top 10 female players descend upon Dubai for the 25th anniversary of the city’s women’s tournament.
Defending champion Jasmine Paolini, World No 1 Aryna Sabalenka, second-ranked Iga Swiatek, who won a third consecutive French Open in 2024, and World No 3 Coco Gauff, who signed off her season by winning the WTA Finals in Saudi Arabia, lead an impressive pack.
The women's portion of the championships will take place from February 16-23. The men will be in action from February 24-March 1.
