Four familiar names will return to the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium later this month, as past champions Daniil Medvedev, Andrey Rublev, Ugo Humbert and Stefanos Tsitsipas take their place in the 2026 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.
DDFTC Four Champions
The ATP 500 men’s tournament runs from February 23 to 28 in Al Garhoud, following the women’s WTA 1000 event the previous week. Eight of the world’s top 20 men are expected to compete.
Medvedev won his only Dubai title in 2023 and comes back this year without the top seed for the first time since that victory. The former world No 1, now ranked 12, remains one of the strongest hard-court players on the tour. He began the season by winning in Brisbane, which was the 22nd ATP title of his career.
Andrey Rublev
Rublev, champion in Dubai in 2022, also returns. The Russian’s aggressive baseline game has often suited the conditions in the UAE, where the tournament falls early in the season. He is chasing his 18th career title and will be looking to rediscover the form that carried him to success here four years ago.
Ugo Humbert
Humbert was the surprise winner in 2024 after beating Alexander Bublik in the final. The Frenchman did not drop a set on his way to the title, despite facing a draw that included Andy Murray, Hubert Hurkacz and Medvedev. His win underlined Dubai’s reputation as a place where established names and new contenders can both thrive.
Stefanos Tsitsipas
Tsitsipas completes the group. The Greek finally lifted the Dubai trophy last year after losing finals in 2019 and 2020. That win marked his first ATP 500 title and returned him to the world’s top 10. No player has defended the Dubai crown since Roger Federer in 2015.
The return of four former champions adds weight to an event that has long held a special place on the tour. Players regularly point to the organisation, conditions and support in Dubai as reasons they like to come back.
The women’s WTA 1000 tournament runs from February 15 to 21, followed by the men’s event the week after. Tickets for both tournaments are on sale now, with prices starting from Dh65, via ticketmaster.ae and the tournament website.
