Ahead of the start of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship’s ATP tournament starting February 27, Ahmed Rizvi looks at five players to watch out for.
Roger Federer
Best Dubai result: Champion – 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2012, 2014, 2015
It has been a long time since Federer arrived in Dubai as the reigning Australian Open champion. The last time he triumphed in Australia, in 2010, the Swiss was forced to pull out of Dubai due to a lung infection. You have to go back a decade, to 2007, when he last competed here as the Australian Open champion. So you can only imagine the buzz that will surround the 18-time grand slam winner at the Aviation Club this time around, more so because this will be his first tournament since that memorable triumph over Rafael Nadal in last month’s Melbourne final. Adoring fans will be queuing up at the turnstiles hoping to see Federer add an eighth Dubai crown to his collection.
Andy Murray
Best Dubai result: Final – 2012
This year, or at least the first few months of it, was supposed to be all about Murray and his consolidation at the top of the rankings after a sensational second-half of 2016. But nobody seems to have told Federer and Nadal about it, and the ageing duo, returning from injuries, tore up the script at the Australian Open. Murray, however, will be looking to restore normality and Dubai will be a good place to start. The man who stunned Federer on his Dubai debut in the opening round of 2008, has yet to win the title here, despite five attempts. The closest he has come to lifting the trophy was in 2012, when the Scot drubbed Novak Djokovic in straight sets in the semis, but then lost to an inspired Federer.
Stan Wawrinka
Best Dubai result: Champion – 2016
Wawrinka failed to win a single match on his first two appearances here, losing to Roger Federer, world No 1 at the time, in 2006 and to world No 188 Jan Hernych two years later, both in straight sets. Of course, back then the enigmatic Swiss was not the player that he is today and the difference was obvious last year, when he romped to the title, defeating Marcos Baghdatis in the final. It was the first time in eight years that anyone other than seven-time champion Federer or four-time winner Novak Djokovic had won the Dubai title. Before him, the last champion not named Federer or Djokovic was Andy Roddick, who defeated Feliciano Lopez in the 2008 final. Wawrinka, who holds an impressive 11-1 win record in his last 12 finals, has never successfully defended a title outside Chennai. Can he defend his Dubai title here?
Gael Monfils
Best Dubai result: First round – 2008
The last time Monfils was here, way back in 2008, he was ranked a modest No 52 in the world and had the misfortune of drawing Tomas Berdych in the opening round. Now, the Frenchman is a respected member of the top 10 club and considered among the top athletes and entertainers of the game. Monfils is not as reckless as he once was and that helped in stringing together one of the most successful seasons of his career in 2016, when he climbed from No 25 in the rankings to a career-high of sixth, reaching the final in Rotterdam and Monte Carlo, and winning the title in Washington. Monfils also progressed to the semi-finals at the US Open without dropping a set, and lost to Rafael Nadal in the fourth round of the Australian Open last month. Fans here will be hoping he keeps that form going, and brings the crowd to their feet with those spectacular diving volleys and trick shots.
Tomas Berdych
Best Dubai results: Final – 2013, 2014
It would be a bit harsh to suggest Berdych has not had a good start to the season. He lost to Andy Murray in the Qatar Open semi-finals and was dismissed by a merciless Roger Federer in the third round of the Australian Open, both eventual champions. Both will be here in Dubai as well, but Berdych should still be looking forward to his week, for Dubai has been a happy hunting ground for the Czech in the past. Yes, he has not won a title here in 10 attempts, but he has made two finals – losing to Novak Djokovic in the 2013 final after edging Federer in the semis – and then losing to Federer in the 2014 final after winning the opening set. He has made two other semis as well, in 2011 and 2015, losing to Djokovic on both occasions. Berdych is certainly due some luck here, like Stan Wawrinka last year, and who knows, this could finally be his year.
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