UAE. Russian player Aslan Karatsev won the men’s title at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships on Saturday, defeating Lloyd Harris of South Africa in the final. The annual tournament, held this year behind closed doors, attracted a large television audience worldwide, boosting Dubai Duty Free’s profile.
Karatsev is the first Russian to win the prestigious title, after Marat Safin (in 2001) and Mikhail Youzhny (in 2007 and 2010) each finished as runner-up. He is also the first wild card to compete in the final since Thomas Muster in 1997, and he joins Muster and Wayne Ferreira as the third wild card to win the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships title in the tournament’s 29-year history.
The doubles final featured four of the top five players in the world, with the title going to top seeds Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah who defeated second seeds Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic.
“We congratulate Aslan Karatsev on his victory and Lloyd Harris on his wonderful tournament,” said Dubai Duty Free Executive Vice Chairman and CEO Colm McLoughlin. “It was thrilling to watch their performances throughout the week and witness the upsets they both produced to rightly earn their place in the final. They have both achieved a significant milestone in their careers this week and we are delighted that they have done so in Dubai, and we very much look forward to welcoming them back in 2022.
“We also congratulate our 2021 doubles champions, Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah, who had to work very hard to overcome their opponents, Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic.”
“I am really happy with my performance. I’m really happy with my game at the beginning of the year, to play Australia semi-final, to show a great level,” said Karatsev, who on Friday earned the biggest victory of his career. “And then after the Australian Open to keep going, practising hard and I arrived here and showed great belief, good game. In the final everyone is more nervous but I tried to keep the (game) plan.”
“This week must be considered as one of the most exciting in the history of the tournament,” said Tournament Director Salah Tahlak. “We have enjoyed so many competitive matches in which the outcome was uncertain right up until the last ball had been hit, and both Aslan Karatsev and Lloyd Harris have played a full role in the excitement as they overcame top ten opposition to reach the final. Even the doubles final, finishing in two tiebreaks, kept us wondering who the winner would be. Now we eagerly look forward to the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships 2022.”
After the final, Karatsev also pulled the winner of the latest Dubai Duty Free Millennium Millionaire prize draw. A consortium of 25 employees of a school transport service company in Al Quoz won US$1 million between them. The group has been participating in the promotion for several years, alternating the name on the ticket for each series when they purchase online.
Rahul Kovithala Thazheveettil from Kerala, India, bought the ticket on behalf of the group. He said: “We regularly buy tickets online and share the ticket cost whenever there’s a new series but to finally received a call from Dubai Duty Free to confirm that we won was unbelievable. Thank you to everyone involved in this amazing promotion. Also, congratulations and thank you to Aslan for picking our ticket number.”
The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships is owned and organised by Dubai Duty Free and held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
