Bautista Agut ready to defend Dubai Duty Free tennis trophy
2018 winner Roberto Bautista Agut competing at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships
Spanish player Roberto Bautista Agut is set to defend his title at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships this month after enjoying a successful start to the new season.
Colm McLoughlin, Executive Vice Chairman and CEO of Dubai Duty Free, said: “Players from Spain have enjoyed great success at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships ever since it began, with Alex Corretja, Juan Carlos Ferrero and Rafael Nadal winning the title and Sergi Bruguera, Felix Mantilla, Albert Costa, David Ferrer, Fernando Verdasco and Feliciano Lopez all reaching the final.
“Roberto Bautista Agut is clearly a worthy name to put alongside so many of his outstanding compatriots.”
Tournament Director Salah Tahlak enjoyed seeing Bautista Agut’s run to the title and said: “He played magnificently throughout the week and it was a pleasure to see him claim the biggest title of his career. He has continued to enjoy success elsewhere and his early results this season prove that he will once again be posing a threat to everyone he faces.”
Bautista Agut will face a formidable challenge as he defends his crown, with seven-time champion Roger Federer, Australian Open sensation Stefanos Tsitsipas, Dubai two-time finalist Tomas Berdych, former US Open champion Marin Cilic and Asian number one Kei Nishikori among the players.
Before the men’s event gets under way, tennis fans can enjoy the WTA Tour, including newly crowned Australian Open champion and world No. 1 Naomi Osaka, two-time Wimbledon champion and 2019 Australian Open runner-up Petra Kvitova, Dubai defending champion Elina Svitolina, reigning French Open champion Simona Halep, three-time Grand Slam winner Angelique Kerber, 2018 Australian Open winner Caroline Wozniacki and former French Open champion Garbine Muguruza.
The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, which is owned and organized 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, begins with the WTA event which takes place between February 17 and 23, and is followed by the ATP event between February 25 and March 2.
