Dubai 2006

[marats]

Come on Marat !

[reese]

At MTF board they posted shedule for tomorrow but I can´t find it on offiacial site.. Shedule posted on MTF says that Marat will not play mondays. But I don´t know if its true..
Does anyone know if you can see the matches via internet?

[marats]

Sorry reese i do'nt know !

[SAFINNO1]

Unfortunately we all have to wait until Tuesday for a Marat apperance

Center Court (02.00 PM) :

Ferrer vs Schuettler
Henman vs F.Lopez

N.B 07.00 PM :

Agassi vs Rusedski
Bahrouzyan vs Al Ghareeb

Court 1 (02.00 PM) :

Andreev vs Seppi
O.Rochus vs Santoro
Konwoles/Nestor vs Allegro/Federer
Ferrer/Seppi vs Lopez/Nadal

COURT 3 (03.00 PM) :

Vik vs Tipsarevic

N.B 05.00 PM :

Bracciali vs Klec
Andreev/Davydenko vs Damm/Paes

[SAFINNO1]

Federer under microscope in Dubai
AFP / 09:58am, 26-02-2006
Roger Federer, holder of three of the four Grand Slam titles, will be subjected to even closer scrutiny than usual next week when he rejoins the tour for the first time since regaining the Australian Open title a month ago.

Federer's triumph in Melbourne was accompanied by a remarkable accolade from Rod Laver, who believes the 24-year-old Swiss tennis genius is now capable of winning all four Grand Slam titles, as he himself last did in the early seventies.

Federer is only three months from an attempt upon the French Open title which should reveal how close to the truth Laver - the only man ever to twice win all four Grand Slams in a year - really is.

And although Federer's return to action in defence of the Dubai Open title on hard courts, rather than Parisian-style clay, the Australian's words will make people view Federer with a more microscopic perspective.

But he is adept at deflecting this.

"My first goal for 2006 is maintaining my world number one ranking," Federer insists. His chances of that have been helped by injuries sidelining his two most capable rivals, Rafael Nadal and Marat Safin.

Nadal, the world number two from Spain, is playing only his second tournament since a foot injury which he sustained while winning a thrilling Masters Series final from two sets down against Ivan Ljubicic in Madrid in October.

There have been moments, Nadal admits, when the injury reduced him to tears because of the pain and the fear that his career might be threatened. The 19-year-old's comeback, starting in Marseille two weeks ago, was modest and brief, requiring him to withdraw the following week in Rotterdam.

But Nadal comes to Dubai hoping to build towards the form which enabled him to play such a great final against Federer on hard courts in Miami almost 11 months ago, when he led by two sets and 5-2 in the final set.

"I'm better every day, but still not quite there," says Nadal, who has been training with both ankles taped and begins against Paul-Henri Mathieu, the French Davis Cup player. "I've started the season late and my highest priority is still to recover completely."

Former world number one Marat Safin has been away from competition even longer, and has selected the Dubai Open to make a comeback after six months off.

The success of this return could be hugely important, because the charismatic 26-year-old Russian is by no means sure he can rescue his career from long-lasting knee problems. Safin has not won a title since beating Federer and going on to win the Australian Open 13 months ago, and has not competed since Cincinnati in August.

It was then that he confessed he was afraid of an operation for fear of being out of the game for a year and unable to get back.

"The injury wasn't serious," Safin claimed more recently. "But unfortunately I stopped playing too late. After Wimbledon I was advised to stop for two or three months but I did not take the advice."

Since then he has slipped to 50 in the world, and the Dubai draw has been unkind as well, pitting him against his Davis Cup colleague Nikolay Davydenko, the world number six. Federer has landed a similar coincidence, drawing a first round against his Davis Cup colleague, Stanislav Wawrinka.

Another coming to Dubai to help rescue his career is Britain's Tim Henman, who took a late wild card after discovering that his semi-permanent back injury prevented him competing in Marseille the week before last.

He played his third tournament of the year at Rotterdam last week but was beaten in the second round, which means he has not only lost his British number one spot to Andy Murray, but is at risk of slipping out of the top 50 or so who gain automatic entry to the smaller Masters Series tournaments.

[SAFINNO1]

Roger Press Conference

Did he miss Marat Safin?
"Miss is the wrong word. Not like missing your grilfriend (laughter). I am happy to see him back healthy, as I am happy to see Andre and Raphael back also

[marats]

Thanks !

[lau]

Thanks for the order of play of Monday and the articles!!

reese said:

At MTF board they posted shedule for tomorrow but I can´t find it on offiacial site.. Shedule posted on MTF says that Marat will not play mondays. But I don´t know if its true..
Does anyone know if you can see the matches via internet?

As you can see in Monday´s OP that Illy posted, Marat won´t play on Monday. That makes sense considering all the flights he did in the last days...
About watching matches on Internet... I have no idea, sorry...

[marats]

Let's hope we can see some from this match !

[sabz]

Gettin REALLY excited now!!! ;D have to wait an extra day but o well! (considerin we have all been waitin so patiently for months!)
GOOD LUCK MARAT!!!

[Annie]

Thanks a lot Ily for all the information.... I see Igor and Kolya are playing doubles, too ;D

Good luck to everyone!!!!!!

Oh I am so glad it's gonna be on Tuesday!!! I will be able to record and if it will be in the evening- I will be able to watch!!!! woohoo ;D ;D ;D

[marats]

Dubai on Eurosport ?

[maryb]

Dubai flits around Eurosport 1 and 2 throughout the day. Just filled my SKY planner - and I no doubt will still, in the usual manner, miss the end of matches. ( I taped Welsh snooker at the end of one of the spots ... Welsh snooker???)

Hope the boy keeps the heid (as we say in Scotland). No doubt he'll be pretty nervous at this being his comeback match - and against such a good player. But he needs to remember that: he's better ... and he's been out of the game for 6 months.

[arwen21]

for all the spanish1! digital plus is showing the dubai matches!!! they start on tuesday!!! so excited!!!!!! ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!xxxxxxxxxx

[Annie]

for all the Russian fans - if you have NTV+ satellite, you know where it will be On the channel that must-not-be-named LMAO ;D