Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic but no Rafael Nadal at 2011 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships
World number 3, Serbian, Novak Djokovic, starts his title defence at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships playing his opening round against world number 27, Michael Llodra, from France.
This will be Djokivic’s first tournament after he won his second Australian Open title last month beating Andy Murray in the final.
Djokovic will try to be third time lucky and complete his hat trick of titles here at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships as he won the title in 2009 and 2010 beating David Ferrer and Mikhail Youzhny in the finals respectively.
Top seed and world number 2, Roger Federer, will open his campaign against world number 79, wild card entrant, Somdev Devverman, from India.
Federer will be trying to win his fifth title here as he won the championship back in 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2007.
Federer is also playing his first tournament after his semi-final loss at the hands of Djokovic at the Australian Open. Federer is refreshed after the break. He spent his last seven days practicing in Dubai.
"I didn't spend much time thinking about the match against Novak", admitted Federer on Sunday. "I generally thought about the first month, how it had gone. I came out of the Australian Open feeling good mentally and physically”.
"I think I am playing well. If I wasn't, then it might be different. If I lost in Doha and early at the Australian Open, then you could ask some questions, but I had a strong end to last year and was one of the best players. I am happy with where my game
is at ahead of this swing of hard-court tournaments”.
Third seed and world number 7, Tomas Berdych, of Czech Republic will be playing his first round match against Jeremy Chardy of France. Berdych leads the head to head record 1-0 against Chardy. He got upset by Marin Cilic in the quarter finals last week at
the Marseille ATP World Tour 250.
Fourth seed and world number 11, Mikhail Youzhny, from Russia will play his opening round match against world number 33, Gilles Simon, of France. Simon is a former world number 6 and has the potential to upset Youzhny.
Youzhny leads the head to head record 7-0 against the Frenchman. Youzhny beat Simon last week in the Round of 16 at the Marseille ATP World Tour 250 event.
Fifth seed Ivan Ljubicic from Croatia will play qualifier Sergei Bubka of Ukraine. He is playing in Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship for the seventh time.
World number 1, Rafael Nadal, has opted out of the tournament as he is still recovering from his thigh injury he sustained during his quarter final loss at the Australian Open.
The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship is held each year at the outdoor hard courts of Aviation Club Tennis Centre in Dubai, UAE.
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