Dubai, UAE – 14 February 2025: Former US Open champion Emma Raducanu is poised to
make her first appearance at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships after the Grand
Slam winner was awarded a wildcard for the landmark 25 th anniversary of the WTA Tour
event.
At the 2021 US Open, aged 18 years and 302 days, Raducanu became the youngest
player to win a Grand Slam singles tournament since Maria Sharapova triumphed at
Wimbledon in 2004. The victory in New York four years ago also saw Raducanu become the
first qualifier in the Open Era to win a major championship and the first British female winner
at the tournament since Virginia Wade in 1968.
Raducanu, currently ranked No60 in the world, recently competed in both the Qatar Open
and Abu Dhabi Open while she reached the last 32 of the Australian Open where she was
beaten in straight sets by five-time Grand Slam winner Iga Swiatek.
On Raducanu’s inclusion, Ramesh Cidambi, Managing Director of Dubai Duty Free and
Chairman of the Tournament’s Organising Committee, said: “We are delighted to welcome
Emma to the emirate for the first time as she competes in a landmark WTA edition of the
Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. With one Grand Slam title to her name, Emma has
underlined the talent she has and is a welcome addition to what is already a world-class
field.”
Salah Tahlak, Tournament Director and Deputy Managing Director of Dubai Duty Free,
added: “It’s fantastic to see Emma participating in the WTA Tour event in Dubai for the first
time. It’s clear for all to see that Emma possesses an enormous amount of talent and we
look forward to watching her on court at this year’s Championships.”
This year’s women’s event is particularly poignant, as it marks the 25 th anniversary of the
WTA tournament in Dubai, a major milestone in the region’s tennis evolution. Italian Jasmine
Paolini returns to defend her title but will face stiff competition from a star-studded field that
includes nine of the top 10, including World No1 Aryna Sabalenka. With 36 of the world’s top
40 competing in the WTA 1000 event, this year’s edition will be the most competitive draw in
its history.
The Championships’ on-court action begins on Sunday (16 February) with the 25 th
anniversary of Dubai’s week-long WTA 1000 tournament, followed by the ATP 500 event
starting 24 February.
Tickets are available online and directly from the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium Box Office
from 9am to 9pm daily.
Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships is owned and organised by Dubai Duty Free and
held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-
President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
