|
Swiss
tennis star Martina Hingis summed it up
best when she won the inaugural Dubai Duty
Free Women’s Open in 2000.
The then World No. 1 said in her post
match press conference: “There’s so many
good things going on around this
tournament that it is hard to concentrate
on the tennis!”
And so it was for the 2003 edition of the
Dubai Tennis Championships fortnight,
which incorporated a week of women’s
tennis followed by a week of world-class
men’s action from the stars of the ATP
Tour.
Dubai has built up an excellent reputation
as a truly great sporting city with large
sums of money invested in hosting sporting
spectaculars. But the rewards are
limitless and it is through the Dubai
Tennis Championships, and other events
like it, that all four corners of the
planet are now able to view the city as a
business and leisure destination.
But how does a city promote itself to the
world through a sporting spectacle? Well,
the answer is simple. Create a series of
off-field activities that capture the
essence of the city and what it has to
offer the visitor. And no tournament does
that any better in the world than the
Dubai Tennis Championships.
While top seeds Justine Henin-Hardenne and
Roger Federer won their respective
tournaments, players like Monica Seles,
Jennifer Capriati, Tim Henman and Rainer
Schuettler were among the ‘stars about
town’ and their colourful antics,
organised by the tournament, were read
about in newspapers and watched on
television screens across the world.
A lover of art, Monica Seles, paid a visit
the Majlis Gallery where she viewed
traditional Arabic art currently on
display.
Her verdict was a massive vote of
confidence for local artists here in the
UAE. “There’s some fabulous work here. So
much talent. I only wish I was able to
take some home with me!”
The reigning champion Amelie Mauresmo saw
her wish come true when she visited some
of the world’s most finely tuned race
horses at the Zabeel Stables as a guest of
owner General Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid
Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and UAE
Minister of Defence. He is also the
tournament’s patron.
Tennis legend Martina Navratilova – who
won the doubles - fell in love with the
shops, delaying her departure by two days
to ensure her baggage allowance reached
its limit, while Henin-Hardenne went on a
shopping spree at the state-of-the-art
Dubai Duty Free facility in the airport.
Capriati was the life and soul of the
Players’ Party and within minutes of
touching down from her first ever camel
ride in the grounds of the Aviation Club,
the American performed with a belly dancer
in front of 200 ecstatic guests.
Tunisian star Selima Sfa looked at home at
the Arabic themed Players’ Party,
introducing her fellow WTA Tour players to
traditional cuisine and the art of smoking
sheesha.
Capriati was also able to relax in
seven-star luxury, receiving a VIP invite
to the Assawan Spa at the world famous
Burj Al Arab.
But the occasion that had the cameras
clicking the most was when Navratilova,
Seles, Henin-Hardenne, Mauresmo and
Capriati slipped into traditional Arabic
dress and posed pool-side for pictures. It
was a moment to cherish and one that was
captured on both front and back pages
across the world.
But the men were not to be outdone and
within 48 hours of Henin-Hardenne beating
Seles in a memorable three-set final,
British golden boy Tim Henman and German
No. 1 Rainer Schuettler took part in one
of the more light-hearted moments of the
fortnight.
Sitting at the helms of two traditional
wooden rowing boats on the Creek, Henman
and Schuettler went head-to-head over one
mile, with the German’s more youthful
10-man team beating Henman’s crew by 10
lengths. It was a hilarious race
thoroughly enjoyed by the ATP stars, but
more importantly to the tournament, the
magnificent Creek skyline provided a
spectacular back-drop to the television
footage that went to over 100 million
homes world-wide.
“You have to admire these guys,” said a
soaked Henman on reaching dry land. “I
certainly had the easiest job of just
steering the boat. These boys are so fit
and I take my hat off to them.”
Moroccan crowd favourite Younes El Aynaoui
tried his luck at surfing at the Wild Wadi
Water Park. He was also seen partnering
ball kids in practice matches on the
outside courts after being knocked out
early on in the tournament.
The fellas also lent their support to the
ATP Kids Day, the Tennis Emirates Day and
the Polo Sport Tennis Clinics that saw
handicapped children enjoy tips from the
professionals.
US Open doubles champions Mahesh Bhupathi
and Max Mirnyi teamed up with different
partners for a change for a match with a
difference on centre court. The pair
joined two Dubai teenagers for the
celebrity ball kid challenge, which was
sandwiched between two quarter-finals.
Colm McLoughlin, Managing Director of
Dubai Duty Free who own and organise the
Dubai Tennis Championships, said: “It is
much more than a tennis tournament. The
reason we get involved is to promote Dubai
as a destination and one of the key
reasons why we are able to attract the
best players year-after-year is because
they have such a magnificent time when
they get here. The Dubai Tennis
Championships is recognised as one of the
best tennis tournaments to be staged
anywhere in the world and we will continue
to work hard at maintaining its place
among the best.”
It was a fortnight to remember, and to see
so many of the game’s biggest stars
relaxing and enjoying world-class
facilities must have been a reassuring
boost to organisers.
Sheikh Mohammed is keen to stress that it
is business as usual here in Dubai and
following a memorable fortnight, there was
one thing that sprung to mind: If global
tension is being felt in cities like New
York and London, it certainly is not being
felt in Dubai.
 |
