Fresh from claiming the first grand slam titles of the season, world No 1s Serena Williams and Novak Djokovic will now turn their attentions to the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship.
Women’s champion Williams, who defeated Maria Sharapova in the Australian Open final on Saturday, will headline the first week of play in what is sure to be a fiercely contested tournament.
The women’s draw consists of seven of the world’s top ten players and 17 of the top 20, and the 19-time major champion will be aiming to win her maiden Dubai title.
Williams will celebrate her 228th non-consecutive week as the world’s top-ranked player when she arrives in Dubai aiming to better her three semi-final appearances. The most dramatic of those battles came in 2009 when she was edged out by sister — and defending champion — Venus in a final set tiebreak.
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Meanwhile, Djokovic makes his way to Dubai after entering the history books with his fifth Australian Open title, equalling the record of Roy Emerson who captured his titles between 1961 and 1967.
Andy Murray, who Djokovic defeated over four sets, will also be competing in Dubai and will be seeking the chance for revenge against the Serbian.
While Serena will be seeking her first Dubai title, Djokovic will be bidding to win the trophy for the fifth time, second only to Roger Federer’s six crowns. The Swiss world No 2 will also be in Dubai, meaning three of the world’s so-called ‘Big Four’ will be in action.
“We are delighted and very proud of the fact the two best players in the world and the newly crowned Australian Open champions have both committed themselves to the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships,” said Colm McLoughlin, Executive Vice Chairman of Dubai Duty Free, the tournament owners and organisers.
“Both Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams are in great demand by every tournament in the world, and it is a privilege that they have chosen to return once again to Dubai. They are assured of a very warm welcome by all of us.”
The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships begins with the WTA event, which takes place between February 15 and 21. Other star names involved include French Open finalist Simona Halep and former Dubai winners Petra Kvitova, Caroline Wozniacki and Agnieszka Radwanska.
Play then continues between February 23 and 28 with the ATP tournament.
The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships is owned and organised by Dubai Duty Free, and held under the patronage of H. H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
Tickets for the event are available from the Box Office at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium, Garhoud which opens from 9am to 9pm daily. Grandstand tickets can also be bought online at www.timeouttickets.com.
For further information about tickets, prices and the tournament, visit www.dubaidutyfreetennischampionships.com
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NYBL PROFILE
Company name: Nybl
Date started: November 2018
Founder: Noor Alnahhas, Michael LeTan, Hafsa Yazdni, Sufyaan Abdul Haseeb, Waleed Rifaat, Mohammed Shono
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Software Technology / Artificial Intelligence
Initial investment: $500,000
Funding round: Series B (raising $5m)
Partners/Incubators: Dubai Future Accelerators Cohort 4, Dubai Future Accelerators Cohort 6, AI Venture Labs Cohort 1, Microsoft Scale-up
Francesco Totti's bio
Born September 27, 1976
Position Attacking midifelder
Clubs played for (1) - Roma
Total seasons 24
First season 1992/93
Last season 2016/17
Appearances 786
Goals 307
Titles (5) - Serie A 1; Italian Cup 2; Italian Supercup 2
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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Team Team Pederson (-40), Team Kyriacou (-39), Team De Roey (-39), Team Mehmet (-37), Team Pace (-36), Team Dimmock (-33)
Individual E. Pederson (-14), S. Kyriacou (-12), A van Dam (-12), L. Galmes (-12), C. Hull (-9), E. Givens (-8),
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THE BIO:
Sabri Razouk, 74
Athlete and fitness trainer
Married, father of six
Favourite exercise: Bench press
Must-eat weekly meal: Steak with beans, carrots, broccoli, crust and corn
Power drink: A glass of yoghurt
Role model: Any good man
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Expo details
Expo 2020 Dubai will be the first World Expo to be held in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia
The world fair will run for six months from October 20, 2020 to April 10, 2021.
It is expected to attract 25 million visits
Some 70 per cent visitors are projected to come from outside the UAE, the largest proportion of international visitors in the 167-year history of World Expos.
More than 30,000 volunteers are required for Expo 2020
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Scoreline
Germany 2
Werner 9', Sane 19'
Netherlands 2
Promes 85', Van Dijk 90'
The Voice of Hind Rajab
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Director: Kaouther Ben Hania
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Profile box
Company name: baraka
Started: July 2020
Founders: Feras Jalbout and Kunal Taneja
Based: Dubai and Bahrain
Sector: FinTech
Initial investment: $150,000
Current staff: 12
Stage: Pre-seed capital raising of $1 million
Investors: Class 5 Global, FJ Labs, IMO Ventures, The Community Fund, VentureSouq, Fox Ventures, Dr Abdulla Elyas (private investment)
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From Europe to the Middle East, economic success brings wealth - and lifestyle diseases
A rise in obesity figures and the need for more public spending is a familiar trend in the developing world as western lifestyles are adopted.
One in five deaths around the world is now caused by bad diet, with obesity the fastest growing global risk. A high body mass index is also the top cause of metabolic diseases relating to death and disability in Kuwait, Qatar and Oman – and second on the list in Bahrain.
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FIGHT CARD
Fights start from 6pm Friday, January 31
Catchweight 82kg
Piotr Kuberski (POL) v Ahmed Saeb (IRQ)
Women’s bantamweight
Cornelia Holm (SWE) v Corinne Laframboise (CAN)
Welterweight
Omar Hussein (JOR) v Vitalii Stoian (UKR)
Welterweight
Josh Togo (LEB) v Ali Dyusenov (UZB)
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Isaac Pimentel (BRA) v Delfin Nawen (PHI)
Catchweight 80kg
Seb Eubank (GBR) v Mohamed El Mokadem (EGY)
Lightweight
Mohammad Yahya (UAE) v Ramadan Noaman (EGY)
Lightweight
Alan Omer (GER) v Reydon Romero (PHI)
Welterweight
Ahmed Labban (LEB) v Juho Valamaa (FIN)
Featherweight
Elias Boudegzdame (ALG) v Austin Arnett (USA)
Super heavyweight
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Desert Warrior
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Director: Rupert Wyatt
Rating: 3/5
The specs: 2019 BMW i8 Roadster
Price, base: Dh708,750
Engine: 1.5L three-cylinder petrol, plus 11.6 kWh lithium-ion battery
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Power: 374hp (total)
Torque: 570Nm (total)
Fuel economy, combined: 2.0L / 100km
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