Daniil Medvedev will defend his Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships title next month, while fan favourite Ons Jabeur is set to return after organisers announced the first few names for the tournament.
Medvedev, the world No 3, captured his 18th ATP Tour title in Dubai last year when he defeated fellow Russian and close friend Andrey Rublev in the final. That triumph was Medvedev's third in a row during a hot streak at the start of last season.
The 2021 US Open champion will return to the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium for the February 26-March 2 tournament, as will Rublev, who won the title in 2022.
They will be joined in Dubai by Polish world No 9 Hubert Hurkacz and Russian Karen Khachanov, the world No 15. Other names will be added to the lineup for the 32nd edition of the ATP Tour event in the coming days.
The WTA tournament will once again take place the week before, and having gained permanent 1000 status – after rotating with Doha in recent years – many of the world's best female players are expected to make their way to Dubai.
Among the big-name players already confirmed is Tunisian star Jabeur, who has been a regular at the tournament throughout her career but missed last year's edition with injury.
The three-time Grand Slam finalist will be joined by Kazakh world No 3 Elena Rybakina. The former Wimbledon champion, who last week confirmed her participation at the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open, played one of the greatest finals in Dubai history when she narrowly lost to Simona Halep in 2020.
American world No 5 Jessica Pegula and world No 8 Maria Sakkari of Greece are also in the lineup for the February 18-24 tournament.
“For many years, Dubai has featured the world’s best male and female tennis players, so we are pleased to announce our first batch of elite male and female stars for this year’s tournament,” said executive vice chairman and CEO of Dubai Duty Free Colm McLoughlin. “Having the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships as a permanent fixture on the WTA 1000 ranking serves as a true testament to the tournament’s progress over the past two decades.”
Tickets for both the WTA and ATP tournaments went on sale on Monday at midday and can be purchased directly through the tournament website.
“Every year, our tournament grows both in popularity and prominence, and the 2024 tournament promises to be one more thrilling showcase of tennis excellence, with the world’s top stars competing in Dubai," Salah Tahlak, joint COO of Dubai Duty Free and tournament director, said.
"We anticipate a dramatic fortnight of tennis as the sport’s top players jostle for supremacy.”
