Two of the world's big four will be out
in action at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships which start on
February 25th, 2013. Last year’s edition saw a massive final
showdown between Roger Federer and Andy Murray, the Swiss legend
coming out on top. While Federer will be back to defend his crown in
Dubai, Murray won’t be back to have another crack at the title.
Instead, world number one Novak Djokovic will present the biggest
challenge to Federer’s title defence at this tournament, as they
both gear up for a big month of March where two ATP World Tour 1000
Masters events at Indian Wells and Miami will be contested. Will
Federer be able to hang on to his world crown, or will Djokovic get
his hands back on it?
Only twice in the last ten editions of
the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships on the ATP Tour, has anyone
but Federer or Djokovic gotten their hands on the title. Federer took
a tough route to get his hands on the Dubai title for the fifth time
in his career last season, beating Juan Martin del Potro in the
semi’s before taking a straight sets win over Andy Murray in the
final. It was Britain’s number one, Murray, who ousted Djokovic at
the semi final stage of last year’s edition. So which of the big
guns, the current world number one and two, will be able to impress
their dominance on the Dubai event again? Djokovic will be gunning
for his fourth title there, his run of three straights wins being
snapped by Murray in the 2012 semi final match up.
Roger Federer’s 2013 season has been
quiet. He started off at the Australian Open and made a solid run to
the semi finals there, where he was beaten in five sets by Andy
Murray. It was Murray who just had more energy left in his legs in
that deciding fifth set. After some time to rest up, as he has to
pace his title shots, Federer next appeared in Rotterdam, the
Netherlands where he suffered a shock defeat against world number 39
Julien Benneteau. So this is going to be an important bounce-back
tournament for Federer to prove to a lot of people that he isn’t
ready to hang up his racquet just yet.
Djokovic’s season has been even
quieter, this being his only tournament besides the Australian Open,
which he won for the third straight year, beating Andy Murray in the
final. But the Serbian world number one produced some fantastic
tennis at the business end of the Australian Open, especially in the
final. Despite being 13-16 behind in the head to head against
Federer, Djokovic will be favourite in Dubai. In 2012 the two
superstars met five times, with Djokovic winning three and Federer
taking two of the clashes. The last time they met in Dubai, Djokovic
strolled past Federer in the 2011 final.
Is there anyone else worth eyeing up in
the 2013 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships market? That mantle
will fall to Argentine Juan Martin del Potro who has had a strong
start to the 2013 ATP season. Despite an early exit at the Australian
Open, the big serving Argentine raced his way to the Rotterdam title
in mid February, without dropping a set all week. He is going to
remain an outside shot in the field, but then everyone else will
generally always be when Djokovic is around. He looks the best option
beyond the big two though. History and form points to a fourth
success for Djokovic, can Federer stop it happening?
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