ATP Dubai - Entry List: Roger Federer leads packed field
Dubai Tennis Championships had found its place in the ATP calendar in 1993, becoming one of the strongest events outside Grand Slams and Masters 1000 tournaments. The Aviation Club Tennis Centre was built in 1996 and Dubai was upgraded to the ATP 500 series where it stayed ever since. The first champion was Karel Novacek and the list of winners includes the names like Goran Ivanisevic, Thomas Muster, Juan Carlos Ferrero and Alex Corretja. Roger Federer started his Dubai reign in 2003, standing as by far the most successful player of this event, winning seven titles until 2015.
Besides him, only the most prominent stars have won there in the past 15 years, including Andy Roddick, Rafael Nadal, Stan Wawrinka and Novak Djokovic who is a four-time Dubai champion. The field wasn't that strong in 2018, with many players from the top opting to play in Acapulco instead, forcing the organizers to do their best to fix that and gather some of world's leading stars. Roger Federer will play in Dubai for the 14th time, seeking his eighth crown against the rivals like Marin Cilic, Kei Nishikori, Karen Khachanov, Borna Coric and Stefanos Tsitsipas who toppled him in the fourth round of the Australian Open.
Milos Raonic, Daniil Medvedev and Nikoloz Basilashvili complete the top-20 group that guarantees some stunning matches already from the first round. The defending champion Roberto Bautista Agut will try to go all the way for the second year in a row, followed by Hyeon Chung, Fernando Verdasco, Philipp Kohlschreiber and Gael Monfils. The Hungarian Marton Fucsovics is ready to score some big wins as well, together with two-time finalist Tomas Berdych who played on a high level in Doha and Melbourne. Dubai entry list:
#3 Roger Federer (SUI) #7 Marin Cilic (CRO) #9 Kei Nishikori (JPN) #11 Karen Khachanov (RUS) #12 Borna Coric (CRO) #15 Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) #17 Milos Raonic (CAN) #19 Daniil Medvedev (RUS) #20 Nikoloz Basilashvili (GEO) #24 Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP) #25 Hyeon Chung (KOR) #28 Fernando Verdasco (ESP) #32 Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) #33 Gael Monfils (FRA) #38 Marton Fucsovics (HUN) #47 Damir Dzumhur (BIH) #48 Matthew Ebden (AUS) #51 Jan-Lennard Struff (GER) #54 Matteo Berrettini (ITA) #55 Pierre-Hugues Herbert (FRA) #56 Mikhail Kukushkin (KAZ) #57 Tomas Berdych (CZE) #58 Robin Haase (NED)
from Tennis World USA http://bit.ly/2UjhqZ5
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