THE RETURN OF RAFA

Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships is back for its 27th edition. The tournament will take place at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium from February 19 to March 4. This year will see the return of world number two, Rafael Nadal, for his first time in a competitive UAE competition in 15 years. Rafael Nadal’s return will be his fourth appearance in Dubai. He last competed here at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships in 2008, having won the Dubai title in 2006 against Roger Federer.

Fifteen years on, the Spanish superstar has won a record-breaking 22 Grand Slam men’s singles titles, including 14 French Open titles.

Colm McLoughlin, Executive Vice Chairman and CEO of Dubai Duty Free expressed his excitement to host Nadal once again, adding “as one of the most recognisable personalities in sport, and one of the most decorated players to ever grace the game, we are thrilled to welcome Rafa back to the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships”.

The tournament consists of a WTA 100 women’s competition, running from February 19 to February 25, followed by the ATP 500 men’s, running until March 4.

Held under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships first began as the Dubai Men’s Open back in 1993, with women’s tournaments added in 2001.

Also making an apperanace this year is Novak Djokovic. With 21 Grand Slam titles, Djokovic is no stranger to Dubai, making his debut at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships back in 2007 and has won five Dubai titles. dubaidutyfreetennischampionships.com

And returning to Dubai for an eighth consecutive year is Tunisian world number two Ons Jabeur, who became the first Arab to reach a Grand Slam final last year when she progressed to the finals at Wimbledon, before later reaching the US Open final.

For the chance to watch Nadal, Djokovic, Jabeur and other world-class tennis talent compete in the upcoming tournament, fans can purchase tickets directly on Dubai Duty Free Tennis website.

Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, February 19 to March 4.

Boutique padel club

Matcha opens huge new centre in Meydan

Six courts, two kids’ courts and a new restaurant led by Hattem Mattar…

As padel clubs sprout up all over the city to meet demand, none have been as Instagram-worthy as boutique padel venue, Matcha Club. The original opened in late 2021, completely changing the aesthetics of padel playing in the UAE.

The design-led club – with its terracotta courts, burnt-orange fencing and cool Palm Springs vibe – swiftly became the city’s iconic wellness lifestyle hub. The place to be for sweatband-ready padel players, wellness enthusiasts and alo-clad yogis as well as digital nomads and stylish young families looking for an airy and nourishing meal at its slick Japanese-French eatery, Nette.

Following its success in the city centre, Matcha now has a new place for the shiny, happy Dubai contingent to gather with the launch of its second wellness club at Meydan.

“When we began looking at expansion, Meydan was one of our first choices, as we love this district and its close connection to the desert”, explains owner Othmane Mekouar. “It’s also undergoing a lot of development with a string of exciting residential projects in the pipeline. And even though the clubs are only 10 minutes apart from each other, they provide two very distinct impressions.”

Staying true to its design-led roots, Matcha Meydan covers a whopping 9,000 square metres, and encompasses a stylish Mediterranean aesthetic with its slick courts punctuated by huge olive trees and sprawling fauna. But don’t expect a carbon copy of the Al Quoz branch. “The idea with Matcha Meydan was to create a completely different client experience but keep the main values that people have come to love from our club,” continues Mekouar. “The architectural experience, attention to design and details, and the immersive landscape, it’s all there at Matcha Meydan even though the colour palette and landscape are different.”

Featuring six padel courts for adults, the new Matcha Meydan branch is also putting a heavy emphasis on grassroots padel with two smaller courts dedicated to children and kids’ classes.

Rounding out the facilities, the club’s new restaurant Fiya is a special collaboration between healthy pizza brand Pinza and the UAE’s main pitmaster, the legendary Hattem Mattar. Could firelicked flatbreads be on the cards at Matcha Meydan? Here’s hoping…

Matcha Meydan opens daily from 6am to midnight. Tel: (050) 340 5979.

@matchadxb