Stefanos Tsitsipas said the Diriyah Tennis Cup will provide ideal preparation for the start of the new season while offering a great opportunity to spread the sport further in Saudi Arabia.
The Diriyah Tennis Cup returns for its second edition from December 8-10 as 12 leading male players compete at the tournament hosted at the Unesco World Heritage Site on the outskirts of Riyadh.
Tsitsipas, the Greek world No 4, will be joined by former world No 1 Daniil Medvedev, world No 8 Andrey Rublev, world No 10 Taylor Fritz, world No 12 Alexander Zverev, world No 14 Cameron Norrie, Wimbledon finalist Nick Kyrgios, former US Open champion Dominic Thiem, and three-time Grand slam winner Stan Wawrinka.
Given the strength of the confirmed field so far, the Diriyah Tennis Cup will give the players some high-level and competitive matches as they continue to prepare for January's Australian Open.
“This is going to be very good preparation for me," Tsitsipas, 24, said. "Most players choose to have an off period from tennis but for me, it’s very important to get matches in before I travel to Australia.
“So having good competitors to compete against (top players), this is the best preparation that I can have before starting the 2023 season.”
Saudi Arabia has been increasing its involvement in international sports in recent years; hosting a Formula One Grand Prix, financing the new LIV Golf series, and putting on world title boxing fights among many other events.
The Diriyah Tennis Cup is Saudi's first significant foray into elite tennis, and Tsitsipas believes the sport's continued exposure in the kingdom will help grow the game.
“I know that the people in Saudi Arabia may not have the opportunity to see tennis players like us very often. So, for sure, I’m going to give it my best. I’m going to have a good time," he said.
On making his first visit to Saudi, Tsitsipas - a keen traveller who runs his own travel vlog on YouTube - added: “I’m happy they’re introducing a big event like this, and in the heart of Saudi Arabia to give opportunities to citizens from all over the world to explore this beautiful country, through its sports, through its very rich heritage and culture, and through other activities that are available within the country.”
Following his participation in the Diriyah Tennis Cup, Tsitsipas will make the short trip to Abu Dhabi where he competes in the Mubadala World Tennis Championship from December 16-18.
The Greek will be joined at both events by Rublev, who like Tsitsipas is hoping to use the Diriyah Tennis Cup as a chance to sharpen his skills and find some match form ahead of the new season.
“I think it’s really great because sometimes when you finish the season and you have eight weeks of not playing tournaments ... you start to feel a bit stressed or nervous because you can’t tell if you’re improving or not," the 25-year-old Russian said. "So these kind of events help to check how your level is at the moment because you compete against other great players."
Fritz, meanwhile, will arrive in Saudi following the best season of his career and the American is looking forward to playing in a new location.
“We’re always on the road and typically, it's the same places every year. So anytime we get to go to a new place, I'm always pretty excited," he said. "I've heard the event’s really nice. I'm excited to come and play against the best in the world and see how it is."
Fritz won his first Masters 1000 title this year, at Indian Wells, and reached a career-high No 8 in the world rankings. As he targets even loftier goals in 2023, the American believes the Diriyah Tennis Cup can provide the sort of preparation not typically available during the off-season.
“I think it's going to help prepare for the Australian Open and for the rest of the year because I can start out by playing against the best players in the world," Fritz, 25, said. "The field is so strong, so it's always great to surround yourself with a lot of great players.
“People should come to support because hopefully it’ll be a lot of good tennis," he added. "Hopefully they’ll be cheering for me to win. They can expect a lot of big hitting, big serving, and hopefully some nice shot-making."
'THE WORST THING YOU CAN EAT'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
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Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre, four-cylinder turbo
Transmission: seven-speed dual clutch automatic
Power: 169bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: Dh54,500
On sale: now
TOURNAMENT INFO
Fixtures
Sunday January 5 - Oman v UAE
Monday January 6 - UAE v Namibia
Wednesday January 8 - Oman v Namibia
Thursday January 9 - Oman v UAE
Saturday January 11 - UAE v Namibia
Sunday January 12 – Oman v Namibia
UAE squad
Ahmed Raza (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Mohammed Usman, CP Rizwan, Waheed Ahmed, Zawar Farid, Darius D’Silva, Karthik Meiyappan, Jonathan Figy, Vriitya Aravind, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Basil Hameed, Chirag Suri
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Developer: Treyarch, Raven Software
Publisher: Activision
Console: PlayStation 4 & 5, Windows, Xbox One & Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5
Profile
Company: Justmop.com
Date started: December 2015
Founders: Kerem Kuyucu and Cagatay Ozcan
Sector: Technology and home services
Based: Jumeirah Lake Towers, Dubai
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Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
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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
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Price: From Dh117,059
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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LAST-16 FIXTURES
Sunday, January 20
3pm: Jordan v Vietnam at Al Maktoum Stadium, Dubai
6pm: Thailand v China at Hazza bin Zayed Stadium, Al Ain
9pm: Iran v Oman at Mohamed bin Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Monday, January 21
3pm: Japan v Saudi Arabia at Sharjah Stadium
6pm: Australia v Uzbekistan at Khalifa bin Zayed Stadium, Al Ain
9pm: UAE v Kyrgyzstan at Zayed Sports City Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Tuesday, January 22
5pm: South Korea v Bahrain at Rashid Stadium, Dubai
8pm: Qatar v Iraq at Al Nahyan Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
Should late investors consider cryptocurrencies?
Wealth managers recommend late investors to have a balanced portfolio that typically includes traditional assets such as cash, government and corporate bonds, equities, commodities and commercial property.
They do not usually recommend investing in Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies due to the risk and volatility associated with them.
“It has produced eye-watering returns for some, whereas others have lost substantially as this has all depended purely on timing and when the buy-in was. If someone still has about 20 to 25 years until retirement, there isn’t any need to take such risks,” Rupert Connor of Abacus Financial Consultant says.
He adds that if a person is interested in owning a business or growing a property portfolio to increase their retirement income, this can be encouraged provided they keep in mind the overall risk profile of these assets.
Australia tour of Pakistan
March 4-8: First Test, Rawalpindi
March 12-16: Second Test, Karachi
March 21-25: Third Test, Lahore
March 29: First ODI, Rawalpindi
March 31: Second ODI, Rawalpindi
April 2: Third ODI, Rawalpindi
April 5: T20I, Rawalpindi
MATCH INFO
Manchester United v Brighton, Sunday, 6pm UAE
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
if you go
The flights
Air Astana flies direct from Dubai to Almaty from Dh2,440 per person return, and to Astana (via Almaty) from Dh2,930 return, both including taxes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Ritz-Carlton Almaty cost from Dh1,944 per night including taxes; and in Astana the new Ritz-Carlton Astana (www.marriott) costs from Dh1,325; alternatively, the new St Regis Astana costs from Dh1,458 per night including taxes.
When to visit
March-May and September-November
Visas
Citizens of many countries, including the UAE do not need a visa to enter Kazakhstan for up to 30 days. Contact the nearest Kazakhstan embassy or consulate.
more from Janine di Giovanni
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
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Available: Now
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
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Team Angel Wolf Beach Blast takes place every Wednesday between 4:30pm and 5:30pm
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The specs: Lamborghini Aventador SVJ
Price, base: Dh1,731,672
Engine: 6.5-litre V12
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 770hp @ 8,500rpm
Torque: 720Nm @ 6,750rpm
Fuel economy: 19.6L / 100km
Tales of Yusuf Tadros
Adel Esmat (translated by Mandy McClure)
Hoopoe
