Dubai: The second week of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships gets underway Monday, and the Official Draw for the ATP 500 men’s tournament has thrown up a series of intriguing ties, including a mouthwatering match-up between No2 seed Alex de Minaur and big-hitting former US Open champion Marin Cilic.
According to Emirates News Agency, this year’s 32-player field includes four former winners: Daniil Medvedev, Andrey Rublev, Roberto Bautista Agut, and reigning champion Ugo Humbert, who was present at Saturday’s draw held inside the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium. Humbert expressed his excitement, stating, “I’m super happy to be back here because I have such good memories from last year,” as he prepares to face Jiri Lehecka for the first time.
Top seed Medvedev, ranked No6 in the world and winner of the 2021 US Open, is making his third consecutive appearance in Dubai. He was drawn against Jan-Lennard Struff, against whom he holds a 7-1 record. Italian Matteo Berrettini, who reached the Wimbledon final in 2021, is looking to extend his winning run to four matches against Frenchman Ga«l Monfils, a two-time Grand Slam semi-finalist.
The Official Draw was also attended by Giovanni Mpetshi-Perricard, the 21-year-old Frenchman making his Dubai debut this week, as well as wildcard Dan Evans, marking his sixth appearance in the emirate, having reached the semi-finals in 2020. Evans expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “It’s great to be back. I’m really looking forward to competing again.”
Rublev, the tournament’s third seed, returns for a fifth consecutive year and will start his quest for a second Dubai crown against a qualifier, while Bautista Agut faces Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan. Ramesh Cidambi, Managing Director of Dubai Duty Free and Chairman of the Tournament Organising Committee, highlighted the excitement of the draw, expecting high-quality tennis from the onset.
Salah Tahlak, Deputy Managing Director of Dubai Duty Free and Tournament Director, announced the event’s three wildcard players: Evans, Hady Habib of Lebanon, and Tunisia’s Aziz Dougaz. Tahlak emphasized the opportunity given to players from different nationalities, reflecting the region’s inclusivity.
The Official Draw was led by ATP Supervisor Ahmed Abdel-Azim, alongside key figures including Cidambi, Tahlak, and Nasser Yousef Al-Marzouqi, Secretary General of the UAE Tennis Federation, among others. The 33rd edition of the annual ATP event, taking place from February 24 to March 1, is owned and organised by Dubai Duty Free, under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.