Daniil Medvedev’s title defence at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships will begin with a tricky opener against 23-year-old Alexander Shevchenko, the draw revealed on Saturday.
Making his first appearance since losing the Australian Open final from two-sets-to-love up against Jannik Sinner, Medvedev is familiar with the danger posed by Shevchenko, who extended the Russian to three sets in their sole previous meeting in the Madrid Masters third round last year.
Shevchenko arrives in Dubai at a career-high ranking of 45 and was present at the draw ceremony when his name was announced as Medvedev’s first-round opponent.
“Basically, I thought it’s better to redo the draw,” joked Shevchenko, who changed his citizenship at the start of the 2024 season from Russia to Kazakhstan.
“Obviously it’s different playing here (compared to Madrid); he won last year, he’s the defending champion and just a great player. To beat him you have to play your best and hopefully he plays a little bit below his average. Let’s see, let’s hope.”
Medvedev could take on No 8 seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the quarter-finals, with the likes of third-seeded Hubert Hurkacz, fifth-seeded Ugo Humbert, French wildcard Gael Monfils, and former champion Andy Murray, all possible semi-final opponents for the world No 4.
Andrey Rublev, 2022 Dubai champion and last year’s runner-up, is seeded No 2 and will take on China’s Zhang Zhizhen in the first round.
Rublev shares the same quarter of the draw with No 6 seed Adrian Mannarino and could square off with No 4 seed Karen Khachanov or No 7 seed Alexander Bublik in the semi-finals.
Joining Monfils as wildcards in the main draw are Jordanian Abdullah Shelbayh and India’s Sumit Nagal.
Nagal will open against Lorenzo Sonego and could face Medvedev in the second round while Shelbayh will make his Dubai debut against Dutch world No 28 Tallon Griekspoor.
Three-time Grand Slam champion Murray has an intriguing opening clash with former world No 10 Denis Shapovalov, who is making his way back up the rankings after spending six months on the sidelines nursing a knee injury.
In qualifying action on Saturday, Tunisia’s Aziz Dougaz led 3-1 and held three set points at 5-4 in the opening frame before succumbing 7-6(3), 6-1 to 63rd-ranked Frenchman Luca van Assche.
Main draw matches kick off on Monday at Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium, with the final taking place on March 2.
THE BIO
Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979
Education: UAE University, Al Ain
Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6
Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma
Favourite book: Science and geology
Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC
Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.
Dark Souls: Remastered
Developer: From Software (remaster by QLOC)
Publisher: Namco Bandai
Price: Dh199
Green ambitions
- Trees: 1,500 to be planted, replacing 300 felled ones, with veteran oaks protected
- Lake: Brown's centrepiece to be cleaned of silt that makes it as shallow as 2.5cm
- Biodiversity: Bat cave to be added and habitats designed for kingfishers and little grebes
- Flood risk: Longer grass, deeper lake, restored ponds and absorbent paths all meant to siphon off water
Company%20profile
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The biog
Name: Marie Byrne
Nationality: Irish
Favourite film: The Shawshank Redemption
Book: Seagull by Jonathan Livingston
Life lesson: A person is not old until regret takes the place of their dreams
Babumoshai Bandookbaaz
Director: Kushan Nandy
Starring: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Bidita Bag, Jatin Goswami
Three stars
The specs
Engine: 5.0-litre V8
Power: 480hp at 7,250rpm
Torque: 566Nm at 4,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: L/100km
Price: Dh306,495
On sale: now
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
If you go...
Etihad Airways flies from Abu Dhabi to Kuala Lumpur, from about Dh3,600. Air Asia currently flies from Kuala Lumpur to Terengganu, with Berjaya Hotels & Resorts planning to launch direct chartered flights to Redang Island in the near future. Rooms at The Taaras Beach and Spa Resort start from 680RM (Dh597).
PROFILE
Name: Enhance Fitness
Year started: 2018
Based: UAE
Employees: 200
Amount raised: $3m
Investors: Global Ventures and angel investors
TECH%20SPECS%3A%20APPLE%20IPHONE%2014%20PLUS
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Aldar Properties Abu Dhabi T10
*November 15 to November 24
*Venue: Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
*Tickets: Start at Dh10, from ttensports.com
*TV: Ten Sports
*Streaming: Jio Live
*2017 winners: Kerala Kings
*2018 winners: Northern Warriors
23-man shortlist for next six Hall of Fame inductees
Tony Adams, David Beckham, Dennis Bergkamp, Sol Campbell, Eric Cantona, Andrew Cole, Ashley Cole, Didier Drogba, Les Ferdinand, Rio Ferdinand, Robbie Fowler, Steven Gerrard, Roy Keane, Frank Lampard, Matt Le Tissier, Michael Owen, Peter Schmeichel, Paul Scholes, John Terry, Robin van Persie, Nemanja Vidic, Patrick Viera, Ian Wright.
ONCE UPON A TIME IN GAZA
Starring: Nader Abd Alhay, Majd Eid, Ramzi Maqdisi
Directors: Tarzan and Arab Nasser
Rating: 4.5/5
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
The%20specs
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The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre, six-cylinder
Transmission: six-speed manual
Power: 395bhp
Torque: 420Nm
Price: from Dh321,200
On sale: now