A coach-less Simona Halep is embracing her new sense of “freedom” as she gets ready for the upcoming Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships without a mentor in her corner.
The two-time Dubai champion has recently parted ways with her coaches Daniel Dobre and Adrian Marcu and is flying solo for the time being, keen to experience the tour on her own for a while.
Halep, who begins her bid for a third title in Dubai against American wildcard Alison Riske in the opening round, had a long and successful coaching partnership with Australian Darren Cahill before announcing a split last September.
The two-time Grand Slam winner, who started 2022 by lifting a WTA trophy in Melbourne prior to her fourth-round exit at the Australian Open, reunited with Dobre and Marcu – whom she had worked with in the past – but the agreement did not last long and the Romanian is now taking on a new responsibility of coaching herself at tournaments.
“I don’t have a coach right now, I have a sparring partner and he’s travelling with me these days. I didn’t take a decision about the coaching. I’m not looking for a coach, I’m just enjoying my time alone and hopefully I can do a good job,” Halep, 30, told The National in Dubai.
“I feel a little bit of freedom, so I think I have to enjoy this moment. I won’t say it’s the best situation but I’m looking forward to experiencing it and to see how it goes.”
Halep, who missed three months in 2021 due to a calf injury, dropped out of the world’s top 20 at the end of last season for the first time since 2013 and is ranked No 22 this week.
Asked if she’ll now be doing her own scouting at tournaments to make sure she is well-prepared for her opponents, Halep said: “No. I know all the girls and I trust myself that I know how to play some matches.”
Dubai draw produces big match-ups
A host of thrilling match-ups were revealed during Saturday’s draw ceremony with eight of the world’s top 10 competing in Dubai this upcoming week.
Defending champion and No 4 seed Garbine Muguruza faces a daunting opener against recent Australian Open runner-up Danielle Collins, with the winner of that clash advancing to a second round against former world No 1 Victoria Azarenka or Veronika Kudermetova.
World No 2 Aryna Sabalenka is the top seed and could square off with 2013 Dubai champion Petra Kvitova in the second round.
Kvitova must first move past Italian big-hitter Camila Giorgi in what is just one of several mouthwatering opening rounds in Dubai this year.
In a battle of former Grand Slam champions, 2020 Australian Open winner Sofia Kenin opens against 2017 Roland Garros winner Jelena Ostapenko, with the victor moving on to a second round against either No 6 seed Iga Swiatek or 2018 Dubai runner-up Daria Kasatkina.
Two top-20 ranked Americans, Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula, will face off in the first round while last year’s Dubai finalist and French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova tackles French wildcard Caroline Garcia in her opener.
The Arab world is represented in No 8 seed Ons Jabeur and Egyptian wildcard Mayar Sherif, who play Vera Zvonareva and Anett Kontaveit respectively in their first rounds.
Two-time Dubai champion Elina Svitolina was also present at the draw ceremony and she will have to wait until the qualifying rounds are over to find out who she will face in her opening clash. Svitolina is one of just three women to claim back-to-back titles in Dubai, having triumphed in 2017 and 2018.
“I think the best memories I have in Dubai are when I won the tournament for the first time in 2017. When I won the final I entered the top-10 for the first time, so that was really special for me,” the Ukrainian said.
MWTC
Tickets start from Dh100 for adults and are now on sale at www.ticketmaster.ae and Virgin Megastores across the UAE. Three-day and travel packages are also available at 20 per cent discount.
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge – Rally schedule:
Saturday: Super Special Spectator Stage – Yas Marina Circuit – start 3.30pm.
Sunday: Yas Marina Circuit Stage 1 (276.01km)
Monday: Nissan Stage 2 (287.92km)
Tuesday: Al Ain Water Stage 3 (281.38km)
Wednesday: ADNOC Stage 4 (244.49km)
Thursday: Abu Dhabi Aviation Stage 5 (218.57km) Finish: Yas Marina Circuit – 4.30pm.
The line up
Friday: Giggs, Sho Madjozi and Masego
Saturday: Nas, Lion Bbae, Roxanne Shante and DaniLeigh
Sole DXB runs from December 6 to 8 at Dubai Design District. Weekend pass is Dh295 while a one day pass is Dh195. Tickets are available from www.soledxb.com
Who is Ramon Tribulietx?
Born in Spain, Tribulietx took sole charge of Auckland in 2010 and has gone on to lead the club to 14 trophies, including seven successive Oceania Champions League crowns. Has been tipped for the vacant New Zealand national team job following Anthony Hudson's resignation last month. Had previously been considered for the role.
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