Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships establishes new board of directors
The UAE Tennis and Padel Federation has appointed a seven-member board chaired by Sheikh Saeed bin Maktoum bin Juma Al Maktoum to oversee the prestigious tournament and strengthen its position among the world's elite tennis events.
Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships establishes new board of directors
The UAE Tennis and Padel Federation has formed a new Board of Directors for the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, appointing Sheikh Saeed bin Maktoum bin Juma Al Maktoum as chairman to guide the prestigious tournament into its next phase of development.
The board, which brings together seven prominent figures from the sports, business and management sectors, will focus on reinforcing the tournament's standing as one of the premier events on the international tennis calendar. The Championships currently hold WTA 1000 status for women and ATP 500 status for men, with the women's event achieving permanent WTA 1000 classification in 2023 after previously alternating between levels.
Leadership and governance
Sheikh Saeed, who serves as President of the UAE Tennis and Padel Federation, brings extensive leadership experience in racquet sports to his new role. The federation itself was formed in January 2026 through a merger of the UAE Tennis Federation and UAE Padel Federation, approved by UAE Minister of Sports Dr Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi. In 2023, Sheikh Saeed was also named Honorary President of the Arab Padel Federation in recognition of the UAE's pioneering role in the sport across the region.
The board comprises Mohamed Al Sharhan, Ismail Al Hashemi, Ahmed Al Khaja, Fatma Bujsaim, Amal bin Shabib, Hasan Al Mazrouei and Ramesh Cidambi, who will draw on their collective expertise to support the event's continued organisational and technical advancement.
Tournament history and venue
The tournament, founded in 1993 for men and expanded to include women in 2001, will mark its 34th year for the ATP event and 26th year for the WTA event in 2026. Held under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the Championships take place at the Aviation Club Tennis Centre's Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium, a 5,000-capacity venue that has hosted the event since 1996.
Awards and prize money
The tournament's reputation for excellence is reflected in its accolades, having received 35 ATP and WTA awards since inception. The men's tournament alone has won the ATP 500 Tournament of the Year award eleven times since 2003, as voted by ATP players. The event demonstrated its progressive stance on gender equality in 2005 by becoming only the third tournament after the Australian Open and US Open to implement equal prize money for men and women, a policy it maintained until 2021.
For 2026, the tournament featured substantial prize funds totalling $3,311,005 for the ATP event and $4,088,211 for the WTA event, representing increases of 10% and 11.85% respectively from the previous year. The women's singles champion earned $665,000.
The formation of the new board reflects the federation's commitment to strengthening governance structures in line with the tournament's international stature, while supporting Dubai's position as a leading global destination for major sporting events.
