A difficult task for Egyptian Mayar Sherif at the opening of the Dubai Women's Tennis Championships

The draw for the "Dubai Duty Free" women's tennis tournament, which was held today, Saturday, in the Majlis Hall in the main stadium of the tournament in Al Garhoud area in Dubai, placed the Egyptian player Mayar Sharif, ranked 66 in the world, in a difficult confrontation in the first round against the ninth ranked world, Annette Kontaveit. While the draw was relatively easy for the second Tunisian Arab representative, Anas Jaber, ranked 10th in the world, returning from injury, when she faced the same Russian Vera Zvonareva, ranked 82nd in the world.

The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships for women, owned and organized by Dubai Duty Free, is 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. From the same month, before giving way to the men's championship, which will be held from February 21 to 26.

The women's championship will witness the participation of 8 players from the world's top ten women, led by Belarusian Arina Sabalenka, ranked 2 in the world, in addition to the Czech Barbora Krichkova, ranked third in the world, and the holder of the title of last year's edition, Spain's Garbine Muguruza (6), and Greece's Maria Sakkari (7). Poland's Eva Sviontik (8), Estonian Anett Kontaveit (9) and Tunisia's Anas Jaber (10), in addition to 4 women who previously won the title, Romanian Simona Halep, 2015 and 2020 champion, Ukrainian Elina Svitolina (15) who holds the 2017 and 2018 titles, and Garbeni Muguruza, the 2021 champion.

Sabalenka, the first candidate for the title, came at the top of the first group, while the Czech Draw, ranked 3rd in the world, Barbora Krichkova, runner-up of the last edition, was placed at the top of the second group.

Among the strong confrontations in the first round, the match between the Americans, Jessica Pegula, ranked 16th in the world, with Cory Gough, ranked 20th, and Simona Halep, the Dubai champion in 2015 and 2020, against the American Ellison Risky, ranked 55th in the world, who participates by invitation.

Tournament director Salah Tahlak confirmed, in a press statement, that the participation of 8 of the world's top ten ranked women is a source of pride and an affirmation of the good reputation enjoyed by the Dubai Duty Free Women's Championship.

Tahlak said, "With a quick look at the list of participating players, we found four who had previously won the title, returning to the Dubai Championship for a new time, with the ambition of adding a new title to their professional career."

He added, "The competition for the title of the 2022 edition will be strong, because most of the participating players have a long record of achievements and have long experiences in the world of yellow football. I wish good luck to the representatives of Arab tennis, Anas Jaber and Mayar Sharif."

The ceremony was attended by the Executive Vice Chairman of Dubai Duty Free, the owner and organizer of the event, Colm McLoughlin, Director of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships Salah Tahlak, WTA representative Donna Kelso, along with the two tennis stars and Dubai title holders on two occasions, Romanian Simona Halep, the 2015 and 2020 champion, and Slovenian Elina Svitolina, the 2017 and 2018 champion.

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