Andy Murray is the latest big name to be confirmed for the 2024 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.
The three-time Grand Slam champion and double Olympic gold medallist returns after a two-year absence to make his eighth appearance at the tournament. Murray, the winner of 46 ATP Tour singles titles, picked up the trophy in Dubai in 2017.
The Scot joins a stellar field which also includes two other former winners in reigning champion Daniil Medvedev and 2022 champion Andrey Rublev.
“We are thrilled to have three former champions in Andy, Andrey, and Daniil participating, further underlining the regard in which this tournament is held,” said Colm McLoughlin, Executive Vice Chairman and CEO of Dubai Duty Free.
Other notable names who will feature in the men’s tournament include world No 8 Hubert Hurkacz, last year’s Australian Open semi-finalist and current world No 18 Karen Khachanov, five-time ATP Tour singles title winner Adrian Mannarino and former Wimbledon finalist and Australian Open semi-finalist Milos Raonic. The tournament runs from February 26 to March 2.
Salah Tahlak, Joint COO of Dubai Duty Free and Tournament Director of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, added: “We’re delighted to welcome Andy, Andrey, and Daniil back to Dubai this year. They are all extremely popular figures among the tennis fraternity, so having these type of players competing in the tournament is great news for us.”
The 36-year-old Murray was beaten in straight sets by Tomas Martin Etcheverry in the first round of the Australian Open last month, leading to questions over his future.
However, Murray, in response to an article suggesting he might harm his legacy if he continued playing, posted on X, formerly Twitter: “Tarnishing my legacy? Do me a favour. I’m in a terrible moment right now I’ll give you that.
“Most people would quit and give up in my situation right now. But I’m not most people and my mind works differently. I won’t quit. I will keep fighting and working to produce the performances I know I’m capable of.”
Meanwhile, a star-studded WTA line-up will see 17 of the world’s top-20 players head to Dubai for the 24th edition of the WTA Tour tournament – recently awarded permanent WTA 1000 status.
Nine of the world’s top-10 female players will be in the emirate for the latest instalment. World No 1 Iga Swiatek, world No 2 Aryna Sabalenka, fresh from securing her second successive Australian Open crown and world No 3 Coco Gauff lead the impressive pack. The women’s event will – as is tradition – run one week before the ATP event, from February 18 to 24.
Tickets for both the women's and men's events are available to purchase now at www.dubaidutyfreetennischampionships.com.
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Where to donate in the UAE
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
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On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
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