The Dubai Tennis Championships has received a further boost to an already outstanding field of players after Australian Open winner Serena Williams announced that she will make a second bid to claim one of the few titles missing from her bulging portfolio.
The American tennis superstar, who on Saturday overwhelmed Maria Sharapova 6-1, 6-2 to win her third Australian Open crown, is still searching for her first Dubai title. She reached the semi-finals in 2005 before retiring against Jelena Jankovic with an injury, and injury also prevented her from competing in Dubai in 2006.
Now fully fit again, Williams confounded critics that had written her off as she made a massive leap up the rankings, rocketing from 81 to 14 after her Melbourne victory.
“You know, I have a lot of people even close to me who doubt me. I love doubters. More than anything what I love, besides obviously winning, is proving people wrong,” said the 25-year old eight-time Grand Slam champion.
“I've always been mentally strong, I think probably mentally stronger than a lot of players on the tour. I think for me tennis has always been 80 percent mental and I've believed in myself more than anyone. Even though it was hard, I really believed in me and in my game. No matter what, if I'm playing right it's hard for anyone to beat me. I always believed that, and that's still the way it is.”
Williams is the third lowest-ranked winner of any Grand Slam since rankings began in November 1975, and her achievement in claiming the Australian Open title is all the more remarkable because, apart from a warm-up event in Hobart, she had been unable to play since falling to Amelie Mauresmo in the fourth round of the US Open last September.
“Serena Williams has shown over and over again that she is one of the best competitors in the sport,” said Colm McLoughlin, Managing Director of tournament organisers Dubai Duty Free. “She brings great excitement to the court every time she plays, and we look forward to seeing if she can add the Dubai Duty Free Women’s Open title to the eight Grand Slams she has won.”
Play begins at the Dubai Tennis Centre on 19th February with defending champion Justine Henin, US Open winner Maria Sharapova and Svetlana Kuznetsova headlining the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour event, and continues on the 26th February when Rafael Nadal begins his title defence alongside three-time former champion Roger Federer and Marcos Baghdatis.
The Dubai Tennis Championships is owned and organised by Dubai Duty Free and takes place under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
