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Dubai: French flair comes to town this month when two-time Grand Slam champion Amelie Mauresmo, Wimbledon runner-up Marion Bartoli, Richard Gasquet and Fabrice Santoro take part in the Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships.
Former world number one Mauresmo lifted the Dubai trophy in 2002, beating Monica Seles to reach the final. The soft-spoken 28-year old almost earned a repeat last year, reaching the final again before losing in two tight sets against Justine Henin.
Shortly after that Mauresmo underwent emergency appendix surgery, and she found it a greater challenge than she expected to return to the form that had not only taken her to the Dubai final but to a title in Antwerp. Further finals followed in Strasbourg and Eastbourne, but most of the season was a frustrating struggle.
"Next year can only be better," she said at her last event of the 2007 season. "I won't have that many points to defend, and especially physically I really want to feel better, because I've been struggling. So I'm really looking forward to finding this back, then I know the rest is going to come."
The Dubai Tennis Championships, holding so many happy memories, will provide a valuable springboard as the popular Frenchwoman continues her comeback.
Marion Bartoli will forever remember her sensational Wimbledon semifinal upset of world number one Justine Henin. And then playing the Wimbledon final was even more exciting than if she had played the final at Roland Garros.
Something special
"Of course, I want to do well at Roland Garros because I'm French," said Bartoli. "But, you know, Wimbledon is so special because of all those traditions. To go through the locker room to the Centre Court, you see the trophies and walk into that court and you know you're a part of history. I will be the finalist of Wimbledon in '07 for ever, and you feel that so much. The court, it's like you have the crowd so close to you, you feel it. I feel all this tradition, and the Prince coming to the courts, all this stuff makes the tournament really, really special."
Richard Gasquet, who won his first Grand Slam title with Tatiana Golovin shortly after his 18th birthday and last year beat Andy Roddick to reach the Wimbledon semi-finals, has sometimes struggled with growing up in the spotlight.
"It was really difficult when I was 18 or 19," he said. "For sure, I'm not a rock star or Zidane, but a lot of people know me in France and they are looking at my game, my results, my ranking, so it's difficult. But it's nice that people like me. Being recognised, that's life. It's not a big problem for me. I have to deal with that. I have no choice. I wouldn't change my life with another guy because I love what I'm doing every day."
Last year, Fabrice Santoro won the doubles title here with Nenad Zimonjic. The 35-year old, who is often referred to as "the Magician" for his on court tricks and awe-inspiring shots, was the finalist of the inaugural 1993 Dubai Tennis Championships event went on to win the title in 2002, the 10th anniversary of the tournament.
Mauresmo, Bartoli, Gasquet and Santoro join a world class field that includes the world's four top-ranked men and women, with Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Andy Roddick, Andy Murray, Justine Henin, Ana Ivanovic, Maria Sharapova and Jelena Jankovic among those bidding for the title.
"The French have always had a strong link with the Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships, ever since Fabrice Santoro contested our first final in 1993," said Colm McLoughlin, managing director of tournament owners and organisers Dubai Duty Free. "We are delighted to once again welcome so many outstanding players from that country to Dubai."
Play at the Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships, which is held under the patronage of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, begins on February 25th 2008 with the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour tournament, and is followed by the ATP event from March 3rd to 8th.
Marion Bartoli will forever remember her sensational Wimbledon semifinal upset of Justine Henin. And then playing the Wimbledon final was even more exciting than if she had played the final at Roland Garros....
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