Dubai 2012 Tennis ATP Preview: Djokovic, Federer lead Strong Field

The Dubai 2012 draw was announced with the top 2 seeds Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer in opposites sides of the draw and will not meet earlier than the final match. Andy Murray is in the same half of the draw as Djokovic and both players could meet in the semifinals. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga is drawn in Federer's half of the draw. Potential quarterfinal match-ups include Djokovic vs #7 Janko Tipsaveric, Murray vs #5 Tomas Berdych, Tsonga vs #8 Juan Martin del Potro and Federer vs #6 Mardy Fish. World #2 Rafael Nadal is not entered in the tournament. The winner will take home $409,170. [Get the latest Dubai 2012 ATP Tennis updated news and results].

Dubai 2012 Tennis ATP Preview: Defending champion, 3-time winner and world #1 Novak Djokovic will lead a strong field in this year’s Dubai 2012 tennis ATP tournament. Eight of the top 10 players are included in the entry list, including 4-time winner and last year’s runner-up Roger Federer. World #2 and 2006 champion Rafael Nadal is opting out of this year’s tournament. World #4 Andy Murray and #6 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga are expected to challenge the top two seeds. The rest of the top 10 players entered in the 2012 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships include #7 Tomas Berdych, #8 Mardy Fish, #9 Janko Tipsarevic, and #10 Juan Martin del Potro.

Dubai 2012 Tennis: List of Champions
2011 Novak Djokovic bt Roger Federer 6–3, 6–3
2010 Novak Djokovic bt Mikhail Youzhny 7–5, 5–7, 6–3
2009 Novak Djokovic bt David Ferrer 7–5, 6–3
2008 Andy Roddick bt Feliciano López 6–7(8–10), 6–4, 6–2
2007 Roger Federer bt Mikhail Youzhny 6–4, 6–3
2006 Rafael Nadal bt Roger Federer 2–6, 6–4, 6–4
2005 Roger Federer bt Ivan Ljubičić 6–1, 6–7(6–8), 6–3
2004 Roger Federer bt Feliciano López 4–6, 6–1, 6–2
2003 Roger Federer bt Jiří Novák 6–1, 7–6(7–2)
2002 Fabrice Santoro bt Younes El Aynaoui 6–4, 3–6, 6–3
2001 Juan Carlos Ferrero bt Marat Safin 6–2, 3–1, retired
2000 Nicolas Kiefer bt Juan Carlos Ferrero 7–5, 4–6, 6–3
1999 Jérôme Golmard bt Nicolas Kiefer 6–4, 6–2
1998 Àlex Corretja bt Félix Mantilla 7–6(7–0), 6–1
1997 Thomas Muster bt Goran Ivanišević 7–5, 7–6(7–3)
1996 Goran Ivanišević bt Albert Costa 6–4, 6–3
1995 Wayne Ferreira bt Andrea Gaudenzi 6–3, 6–3
1994 Magnus Gustafsson bt Sergi Bruguera 6–4, 6–2
1993 Karel Nováček bt Fabrice Santoro 6–4, 7–5

Dubai 2012 Tennis: Player Entry List
Player Name NATIONALITY Rank
Novak Djokovic SRB 1
Roger Federer SUI 3
Andy Murray GBR 4
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga FRA 6
Tomas Berdych CZE 7
Mardy Fish USA 8
Janko Tipsarevic SRB 9
Juan Martin del Potro ARG 10
Feliciano Lopez ESP 15
Richard Gasquet FRA 16
Alexandr Dolgopolov UKR 18
Ivan Ljubicic CRO 32
Mikhail Youzhny RUS 39
Michael Llodra FRA 43
Marcos Baghdatis CYP 45
Dmitry Tursunov RUS 49
Nikolay Davydenko RUS 52
Sergiy Stakhovsky UKR 67
Flavio Cipolla ITA 75
Nicolas Mahut FRA 78
Igor Kunitsyn RUS 80
Lukas Rosol CZE 81
Benjamin Becker GER 344

Dubai 2012 Tennis: Top Four Players in the 2011 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships

CHAMPION: Novak Djokovic

World No. 3 Novak Djokovic became the 2011 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships for the third straight time as he defeated top seed Roger Federer 6-3, 6-3 in the championship match. He has now won 20 tour-level titles with a finals record of 20 wins against 13 losses, the sixth active player to achieve this milestone. Djokovic joins Federer as the only other player to win three consecutive titles in Dubai and now holds a 15-match winning streak at the tournament.

RUNNER - UP: Roger Federer

World # 2 Roger Federer missed winning a fifth title in the 2011 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships as he lost in straight sets to Djokovic. It was his second loss in seven final appearances in the tournament. Federer said “…It's a pity, but, look, Novak played great."

SEMIFINALIST: Tomas Berdych

#3 seed Tomas Berdych impressed on his run through to the semi-finals of the 2011 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. He did not drop a single set in his first three matches but was forced to retire with a left leg injury against Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals.

SEMIFINALIST: Richard Gasquet

Gasquet of France improved his ranking by seven spots after reaching the 2011 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships semifinals. It was his first ATP World Tour semi-final of the season losing to top-seeded Roger Federer.

TRIVIA: In 2005, two ATP World Tour Champions - Andre Agassi and Roger Federer - scaled the Burj Al Arab for a friendly practice session atop the helipad at the iconic hotel.

Dubai 2012 Tennis: Official Tournament Information

Name: Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships
Category: ATP World Tour 500
Place: Dubai, U.A.E
Date: 27.02.2012-03.03.2012
Draw Size: S-32 D-16 Surface:
Hard Prize Money: $ 1,700,475
Total Financial Commitment: $ 2,313,975
Ticket Hotline: +9714-224-4568

Dubai 2012 Tennis: Ranking Points and Prize Money Breakdown

Round: Ranking Points (Prize Money)

Winner: 500 ($409,170)
Finalist: 300 ($184,470)
Semi Finalist: 180 ($87,380)
Quarter Finalist: 90 ($42,165)
Second Round: 45 ($21,500)
First Round: 0 ($11,825)