The whirlwind of Wimbledon is now just a memory for Dubai tennis coach Juan Ramirez, but it is a memory he will cherish.
He may be back to the daily grind of preparing for the US Open Qualifiers, but for a few weeks Mr Ramirez achieved a life goal by coaching professional Swiss player Alexander Ritschard all the way into the first round of The Championships in Wimbledon.
Colombian Mr Ramirez, 31, only began coaching professional Ritschard in November after leaving his role as a tennis coach in hotels across Dubai.
It is like entering a religious temple, the courts, the atmosphere, the players all dressed in white. It doesn't get any better than Wimbledon
Juan Ramirez
That adventure has taken the pair to what Mr Ramirez calls the “Disneyland of tennis”, although his charge, ranked 188 in the world, was knocked out in the first round of Wimbledon after four gruelling sets against fourth seed Stefano Tsitsipas from Greece.
It was a far cry from coaching holidaymakers and residents but Mr Ramirez loved every moment of guiding a professional through qualifying at the All England Tennis Club and into the first round of a major grand slam.
“Alex is my first professional player,” said Mr Ramirez, who left his job at Peter Burwash International tennis management to coach full time on the ATP tour.
“We had to win three matches in the qualifying rounds before entering the main draw.”
“Those matches were played at completely different courts than the main draw courts, so at first it didn't really feel like a Grand Slam.”
Mr Ramirez said it was an experience he is unlikely to forget and has given him a taste of the big time.
“Once we entered the main draw, it was an absolutely mind-blowing experience.
“There is a reason they call this venue the cathedral of tennis.
“It is like entering a religious temple, the courts, the atmosphere, the players all dressed in white, it is just the Disneyland of tennis.
“It doesn't get any better than Wimbledon.”
Born and raised in Bogota, Mr Ramirez never played tennis professionally, but was ranked in the top five juniors in Colombia.
He also made it into the top 200 in the International Tennis Federation’s junior rankings, leading to a US scholarship.
Mr Ramirez climbed as high as 16 in the US rankings at the University of Minnesota but fell just short of the higher echelons required for a tennis career.
His years teaching amateurs and as a hitting partner for professionals visiting Dubai to train during the winter primed him for his current coaching job.
During this time he found himself across the net from big names such as Borna Coric, Maria Sakkari and Svetlana Kusnetzova.
A chance meeting with an emerging Swiss player's father revitalised his tennis career.
“Because of my job in Dubai I was able to watch Roger Federer's preseason training for five years,” Mr Ramirez said, who still lives in Dubai when he is not travelling.
“I met Alex [Ritschard]'s dad when he went to Dubai for holidays with his wife, and stayed at Park Hyatt Hotel.
“He booked a tennis lesson and I happened to be the coach that day and we connected very well.
“He told me his son used to play college tennis in America, so I knew the level and the experiences Alex went through.
“After his dad left Dubai we stayed in touch, and a few weeks later he messaged me and offered to travel for the summer with Alex.
“I thought it was a great opportunity, as I was on holiday anyway during that time.
“After the summer I went back to Dubai and a few weeks later got another call from Alex's dad offering me a full-time job.”
The pair had an opportunity to take part in the French Open at Roland Garros in May, the first Grand Slam tournament for both.
Unfortunately Ritschard failed to make it past the third qualifying round, and didn’t make the main draw.
When attention turned to Wimbledon, Mr Ramirez successfully coached his player through the qualifying rounds and a first round tie with one of the best players in the world.
“I grew up playing on red clay so for me being at the French Open was very special,” said Mr Ramirez.
“It is the place where all South Americans players and coaches want to be.”
Currently, both coach and player are slugging it out on the Challenger Tour, playing for the next month in the Netherlands, Switzerland and Italy, hoping to eventually secure a place at the US Open Qualifiers.
But the memory of their time in the leafy suburb of London SW19 will remain with them forever.
“Playing Tsitsipas on Wimbledon’s court one was an incredible experience — those are the players we want to play.
“It was good to see where our level was and what we need to improve to reach that regularly.
“Stepping on to those courts and just being there is literally a dream come true.”
Gulf Under 19s final
Dubai College A 50-12 Dubai College B
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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
If you go
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Seattle from Dh5,555 return, including taxes. Portland is a 260 km drive from Seattle and Emirates offers codeshare flights to Portland with its partner Alaska Airlines.
The car
Hertz (www.hertz.ae) offers compact car rental from about $300 per week, including taxes. Emirates Skywards members can earn points on their car hire through Hertz.
Parks and accommodation
For information on Crater Lake National Park, visit www.nps.gov/crla/index.htm . Because of the altitude, large parts of the park are closed in winter due to snow. While the park’s summer season is May 22-October 31, typically, the full loop of the Rim Drive is only possible from late July until the end of October. Entry costs $25 per car for a day. For accommodation, see www.travelcraterlake.com. For information on Umpqua Hot Springs, see www.fs.usda.gov and https://soakoregon.com/umpqua-hot-springs/. For Bend, see https://www.visitbend.com/.
Pox that threatens the Middle East's native species
Camelpox
Caused by a virus related to the one that causes human smallpox, camelpox typically causes fever, swelling of lymph nodes and skin lesions in camels aged over three, but the animal usually recovers after a month or so. Younger animals may develop a more acute form that causes internal lesions and diarrhoea, and is often fatal, especially when secondary infections result. It is found across the Middle East as well as in parts of Asia, Africa, Russia and India.
Falconpox
Falconpox can cause a variety of types of lesions, which can affect, for example, the eyelids, feet and the areas above and below the beak. It is a problem among captive falcons and is one of many types of avian pox or avipox diseases that together affect dozens of bird species across the world. Among the other forms are pigeonpox, turkeypox, starlingpox and canarypox. Avipox viruses are spread by mosquitoes and direct bird-to-bird contact.
Houbarapox
Houbarapox is, like falconpox, one of the many forms of avipox diseases. It exists in various forms, with a type that causes skin lesions being least likely to result in death. Other forms cause more severe lesions, including internal lesions, and are more likely to kill the bird, often because secondary infections develop. This summer the CVRL reported an outbreak of pox in houbaras after rains in spring led to an increase in mosquito numbers.
THE SPECS
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: seven-speed dual clutch
Power: 710bhp
Torque: 770Nm
Speed: 0-100km/h 2.9 seconds
Top Speed: 340km/h
Price: Dh1,000,885
On sale: now
Famous left-handers
- Marie Curie
- Jimi Hendrix
- Leonardo Di Vinci
- David Bowie
- Paul McCartney
- Albert Einstein
- Jack the Ripper
- Barack Obama
- Helen Keller
- Joan of Arc
Who has lived at The Bishops Avenue?
- George Sainsbury of the supermarket dynasty, sugar magnate William Park Lyle and actress Dame Gracie Fields were residents in the 1930s when the street was only known as ‘Millionaires’ Row’.
- Then came the international super rich, including the last king of Greece, Constantine II, the Sultan of Brunei and Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal who was at one point ranked the third richest person in the world.
- Turkish tycoon Halis Torprak sold his mansion for £50m in 2008 after spending just two days there. The House of Saud sold 10 properties on the road in 2013 for almost £80m.
- Other residents have included Iraqi businessman Nemir Kirdar, singer Ariana Grande, holiday camp impresario Sir Billy Butlin, businessman Asil Nadir, Paul McCartney’s former wife Heather Mills.
Hunting park to luxury living
- Land was originally the Bishop of London's hunting park, hence the name
- The road was laid out in the mid 19th Century, meandering through woodland and farmland
- Its earliest houses at the turn of the 20th Century were substantial detached properties with extensive grounds
Everton 1 Stoke City 0
Everton (Rooney 45 1')
Man of the Match Phil Jagielka (Everton)
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Why your domicile status is important
Your UK residence status is assessed using the statutory residence test. While your residence status – ie where you live - is assessed every year, your domicile status is assessed over your lifetime.
Your domicile of origin generally comes from your parents and if your parents were not married, then it is decided by your father. Your domicile is generally the country your father considered his permanent home when you were born.
UK residents who have their permanent home ("domicile") outside the UK may not have to pay UK tax on foreign income. For example, they do not pay tax on foreign income or gains if they are less than £2,000 in the tax year and do not transfer that gain to a UK bank account.
A UK-domiciled person, however, is liable for UK tax on their worldwide income and gains when they are resident in the UK.
How Voiss turns words to speech
The device has a screen reader or software that monitors what happens on the screen
The screen reader sends the text to the speech synthesiser
This converts to audio whatever it receives from screen reader, so the person can hear what is happening on the screen
A VOISS computer costs between $200 and $250 depending on memory card capacity that ranges from 32GB to 128GB
The speech synthesisers VOISS develops are free
Subsequent computer versions will include improvements such as wireless keyboards
Arabic voice in affordable talking computer to be added next year to English, Portuguese, and Spanish synthesiser
Partnerships planned during Expo 2020 Dubai to add more languages
At least 2.2 billion people globally have a vision impairment or blindness
More than 90 per cent live in developing countries
The Long-term aim of VOISS to reach the technology to people in poor countries with workshops that teach them to build their own device
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
Company profile
Name: Infinite8
Based: Dubai
Launch year: 2017
Number of employees: 90
Sector: Online gaming industry
Funding: $1.2m from a UAE angel investor
