DUBAI – With Expo 2020 Dubai’s Tennis Week starting on Saturday, an exciting line-up of international tennis legends are preparing to serve against each other at the Expo Sports Arena.
Some of the former champions from the world of men’s and women’s tennis have been speaking ahead of the Women’s Singles Exhibition Game, which will see 2018 Australian Open winner Caroline Wozniacki go head-to-head with four-time Grand Slam champion Kim Clijsters (Saturday 19 February at 1900 GST); and the Men’s Doubles Exhibition Game, featuring icons John McEnroe, Greg Rusedski, Richard Krajicek, and Mark Philippoussis (Saturday 19 February at 2100 GST).
“I’m really looking forward to competing at Expo Sports Arena,” enthused Krajicek. “I haven’t seen some of the players and my friends, Mark Philippoussis, Greg Rusedski and John McEnroe for a while so I wonder how they’re performing.
“I was first in the UAE in ’91 and it was already very well organised for tennis then. The organisation and the weather is great, but I’m really impressed that the tennis event is still here, 31 years later – sports and tournaments are promoted and it shows that the UAE is really passionate about sports, which is why a lot of athletes come here.”
“As a European, it’s so easy for me to travel to Dubai,” said Clijsters. “To be able to have great weather, great facilities and easy access to sports – everything is easy here. And I think it’s important that events like this have past players, who have the time [to] invest in [the future of] sport, visit schools and keep in touch with the kids of local communities. Tennis is a great sport for kids to really get into – you need past players to really push the sport forward and there’s no better place than to be able to do it here.”
Philippoussis said: “The fact that we’re able to come out here and play some exhibition tennis in front of an incredible audience and inspire kids watching it, wherever they’re from, and whether they become future champions or just become involved in sports, is incredible. Sport is very important and when you watch it live, it changes everything – as far as perspective [goes] and in changing someone’s life.”
Wozniacki gave a message of support to women: “I think the key lesson that I’ve learnt is that you can succeed if you put your mind to it, no matter what other people say. You can do it: You just have to believe in yourself, work hard and keep going for your dreams. Anything is possible.”
Considering the new generation of tennis players, Rusedski said: “There’s always a changing of the guard. There are two players, in particular, who I’m watching at the moment – there’s Carlos Alcaraz, a Spanish boy who has done something that’s never been done before in reaching the US Open quarterfinals as an 18-year-old. He looks like the real deal. And there’s 21-year-old Canadian Félix Auger-Aliassime, who has been on fire lately. So those are the two guys, who I think could be the future of men’s tennis.”
Mansour Bahrami and Fabrice Santoro will be competing in the Men’s Singles Exhibition Game on Sunday (20 February) at 1800 GST.
Entry to the matches is open to Expo 2020 Dubai visitors and will be staged at the Expo Sports Arena, a multi-purpose venue that hosts an exciting array of sports events and fitness sessions and is located next to Festival Garden, just behind Jubilee Park.
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