Australian Open Finalists Set To Wow Fans In Dubai
After a thrilling three-set duel, Victoria Azarenka retained her Australian Open crown against a resurgent Li Na in Melbourne yesterday, Azarenka taking the match 4-6, 6-4, 6-3.
Both players are among a host of stars who will head to Dubai next month to contest the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships in what is a Grand Slam quality line up, featuring nine of the top ten women and six of the top ten men.
Azarenka successfully defended her title in Australia and at the same time fought off a threat from Serena Williams to hold on to her number one ranking, and she will now prepare for her bid to add the Dubai title to her portfolio. Her efforts last year were thwarted when she arrived in Dubai suffering from an injury sustained in Doha which failed to heal in time for her to compete.
Li Na was attempting to add the Australian Open crown to her 2011 French Open title, and although she fell short in a three-set thriller she feels she has shown significant improvement in her already fine game after joining forces with coach Carlos Rodriguez.
“I was working with him since the start of last August,” she said of Rodriguez, who guided Justine Henin to world number one and four Dubai titles. “He’s not only teacher about tennis. Not only about technique. Also about making my mind stronger on the court.”
All the effort and hard work though has paid off to make her one of the leading contenders to claim the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships trophy next month.
“We are delighted that both Victoria Azarenka and Li Na are returning to Dubai, giving tennis fans the opportunity to see two of the best players in the world, and potentially witnessing a replay of the Australian Open final” said Colm McLoughlin, Executive Vice Chairman of Tournament owners and organisers Dubai Duty Free. “Despite their success elsewhere neither one of them has yet managed to win the title here, and we wish them both well.”
As well as the two Australian Open finalists, the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships features almost every member of the world’s top 20. Defending champion Agnieszka Radwanska will not give up her title without a struggle, and Serena Williams will be seeking her first title in Dubai to match the ones her sister Venus claimed in 2009 and 2010.
Others seeking to lift the magnificent trophy at the end of the week include former world number one and 2011 Dubai winner and former world number one Caroline Wozniacki, 2011 US Open champion Samantha Stosur, 2011 Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova, German number one Angelique Kerber and talented Italian Sara Errani.
Once the dust has settled in the WTA Tour event the ATP World Tour arrives in town with a stellar line-up that includes defending champion Roger Federer, world number one Novak Djokovic, flamboyant Frenchman Jo-Wilfriend Tsonga, Davis Cup winner Tomas Berdych and 2009 US Open winner Juan Martin Del Potro.
The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, which takes place from 18 February to 2 March, 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 on sale from the Box Office at the Dubai Tennis Stadium, Garhoud which is open from 9am to 9pm daily. Grandstand ticket prices range from 50dhs for opening rounds to 450dhs for finals, with season tickets also available.
For further information about tickets, prices and the tournament phone the call centre on +971 4 4172415.
Emirate: Dubai
Date: Jan 27, 2013
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