Best ever field for Al Habtoor Challenge

Dubai |By A Staff Reporter | 08-10-2003

The Al Habtoor Tennis Challenge, which gets underway at the Metropolitan Resort and Beach Club next week, will sport its best ever line-up in its six-year history.

Led by 41st ranked Petra Mandula of Hungary, there are an additional seven players from the top 100 participating in the event.

"We are shocked with the acceptance list of players for this tournament," admitted Hani El Khafief, tournament director at a press briefing attended by representatives of the sponsors. However, the organisers said there were no plans to upgrade the event.

"Why should we upgrade it?," said Al Khafief. "We don't see any reason to do so, especially when so many top players have confirmed their participation for such a comparatively small tournament.

"Besides, we already have one top-class WTA tournament in Dubai. Why add another one?" he stressed. "Each tournament has a beauty of its own. If we opt for a second WTA Tour event, then we might get the feeling of being saturated, and we want to avoid this."

The Al Habtoor Challenge was scheduled to be held in April but the SARS scare followed by the tension in Iraq forced its postponment to October 13-19.

"It's like a blessing in disguise," El Khafief said with a smile. "We couldn't have asked for a better setting and timing of the event."

There is just one WTA tournament (a $160,000 event in Switzerland) taking place next week. The Metropolitan Resort and Beach Club tennis facility has been fitted with a a brand new court, while the two adjoining courts have been upgraded.

With its total prize fund of $75,000, Al Habtoor Tennis Challenge is classified as the highest event on the ITF Women's circuit.

At a glance


Top players: Petra Mandula (40); Emmanuelle Gagliardi (59); Angelique Widjaja (76); Arantxa Parra-Santoja (86); Tathiana Garbin (89); Lubomira Kurhajcova (94); Barbara Rittner (96); Antonella Serra Zanetti (97); Tatiana Poutchek (113); Aniko Kapros (127); Henrieta Nagyova (172).

Qualifiers: October 11-13

Main draw: October 13-19

Prize money: $75,000

Defending champion: Angelique Widjaja (Indonesia)


tournament Website: http://www.dubaitennis.com/

There is just one WTA tournament (a $160,000 event in Switzerland) taking place next week. [/url]

:lol: :lol: :lol:

The tourney is quite lucky, because they would have gotten a weaker field had Bratislava not been cancelled. ;)

great website!!!
Good luck to Petra Mandula and ANIKO KAPROS!!!

Any Aussies in it? :sad: i guess not

Does ayone think Petra is playing because she has good memories of almost beating Amelie?? That restarted her career. Is it on the same court?
Good luck to Antonella and Arantxa.

Allez Emmanuelle! :D

;)

qual draw

1-Mervana Jugic Salkic bye
Olena Antypina bye
Daniella Klemenschits bye
6-Aurelija Miseviciute bye

2-Angelika Roesch bye
Caroline Schneider bye
Vanessa Wellauer vs Liana Balaci
5-Eugenia Linetskaya bye

3-Zsofia Gubacsi bye
Sandra Klemenschits bye
Maria Penkova vs Silvia Disderi
7-Lina Stanciute bye

4-Camille Pin bye
Kirsten Freye bye
Katerina Bondarenko vs Dima Al Sa'di
8-Gulnara Fattakhetdinova bye

all the Byes :drool:

forgot the good luck :o

Eugenia Linetskaya :)
Gulnara :)
Aurelija ;)
Lina S ;)
Zsofia ;)

Good luck to:

Aurelija Miseviciute
Lina Stanciute
Camille Pin
Katerina Bondarenko

Aurelija! :hearts: This is where you last played well... so play well again :D

Go Eugenia, Mervana, Zsofia, Lina S and Katya as well :)

I wonder if Dima will finally win a game.

good luck Daniela, Sandra, AURELIJA :D, Zsofia, Katerina and Dima! :)

Go Angie :bounce: defends ur title ;)

Good luck:

Aurelija Miseviciute
Eugenia Linetskaya
Lina Stanciute
Katerina Bondarenko

go Sandra and Dani K :bounce:

go Dima win a game ;)

Go Mervana!

sat results

Liana Balaci d. Vanessa Wellauer 63 64 :)
Maria Penkova d. Silvia Disderi 67(2) 62 64 :)
Katerina Bondarenko d. Dima Al Sa'Di 60 60 :) :help:


Sunday schedule
http://www.dubaitennis.com/orderofplay.htm

Does ayone think Petra is playing because she has good memories of almost beating Amelie?? That restarted her career. Is it on the same court?
Good luck to Antonella and Arantxa.
No, it's different venue :)

Good luck, Aurelija! :)

head to head 2nd round match ups
Camille Pin vs Kirstin Freye 0-1
1999 Rebecq Quali Round of 32: Freye wins 60 62

Katerina Bondarenko vs Gulnara Fattakhetdinova 0-1
2001:Kedzierzyn-Kozle QF: Fattakhetdinova wins 60 61

Good luck

Maria Penkova :hearts:
4-Camille Pin
Daniela and Sandra

oh I forgot

:bounce: :bounce: Maria :bounce: :bounce:

Let's go Aurelija :D

Main draw has been updated at official site.
Good luck Martina!!

MAIN DRAW

Gagliardi (1) vs Sfar
Poutchek vs Tatarkova
Nemeckova vs Q
Kuhrjacova (7) vs Q

Kapros (5) vs Jankovic
Rittner vs Liggan
Birnerova vs Barabanschikova (WC)
Widjaja (3) vs Q

Parra (4) vs Q
Noorlander vs Nagy (WC)
Fislova vs Ostrovskaya
Sucha (8) vs Abramovic

Ad. Serra Zanetti (6) vs A. Bondarenko
Nagyova vs Vaskova
Mouthassine vs Beltrame
Pennetta (WC) (2) vs Schruff

Doubles MAIN DRAW

Poutchek/Fattakhetdinova (1) vs Fislova/Kurhjacova
Mouthassine/Schneider vs Nemeckova/Schruff
Klemenschits/Klemenschits vs Disderi/Noorlander (WC)
Schruff/Ad. Serra Zanetti (3) vs A. Bondarenko/Antypina

Vis/Sfar (4) vs Birnerova/Rittner
Liggan/Parra vs Abramovic/Jugic Salkic
Nagy/Gubacsi vs Barabanschikova/Ostrovskaya
Roesch/Freye (2) vs Kapros/Sucha (WC)

Good luck

Fislova
Beltrame
Rittner

qual 2nd rd

4 winners known from Mon Schedule

Aurelija Miseviciute d. Dani Klemenschits :D :D
Angelika Roesch d. Caroline Schneider
Zsofia Gubacsi d. Sandra Klemenschits
Gulnara Fattakhetdinova d. Katerina Bondarenko :D :D

Gulnara! :banana:

Aurelija! :)

Go Lina too :)

Aurelija :D Zsofia :D Anjelika :D
Sandra, Daniela :(

Mervana Jugic-Salkic d. Olena Antypina 76(8) 63
Aurelija Miseviciute d. Dani Klemenschits 60 63 :banana:
Angelika Roesch d. Caroline Schneider 63 63
Eugenia Linetskaya d. Liana Balaci 62 62 :woohoo: :banana:
Zsofia Gubacsi d. Sandra Klemenschits 63 75 :woohoo:
Lina Stanciute d. Maria Penkova 64 63 :woohoo: :D
Camille Pin d. Kirsten Freye 60 60 :) :help:
Gulnara Fattakhetdinova d. Katerina Bondarenko 76(6) 62 :D :woohoo:

Well done Mervana, Aurelija, Angelika, Zsofia, Lina, and Camille :) :yeah: :rocker:

Liana :sad: - but nice try

Zsofia :hearts: put together another run like Biella :D

Aurelija :bounce: :bounce:

congats to Zsófia!!!

Keep going Gulnara!!!! Go Zsofia too!!!

Liggan/Parra :bounce: :bounce:

go Angie...!! make it back to back !!

Good luck Seda and Kelly!

Aurelija :)
Lina :yeah:
Camille :)

Katerina :sad:

Good luck Arantxa :D

Arantxa /Kelly :D

Lina!

Keep going Lina & Aurelija ;)

goooo JULIA SCHRUFF!

Last year the tournament was showed on Dubai Sports Channel, a tv you can receive by sat in most part of Europe ( I guess)
This is the website (in local language, unlucky): http://www.dubaitv.gov.ae/sports/#
(live streaming, too)

A seguir Arancha ! :D

WD Gulnara and Zhenya

Caroline Vis to play here? :eek: with Salima Sfar. Good luck to her.


Good luck to:
- Tatiana Poutchek :kiss:
- Barbara Rittner :D
- Elena Tatarkova :)
- Lenka Nemeckova :kiss:

Poutchek/Fattakhetdinova (1) :bounce:
Vis/Sfar (4) :wavey:

Linetskaya won 6-3 6-0

well done Zhenya :D :banana: :)

well done Zhenya :D :banana: :)
Asked for other results too, but he only gave Zhenya's result.

Eugenia! :D :)
Camille :D

Gubacsi-Stanciute 6/7 6/4 7/5
well done Zsofia and good luck on the main draw!!!

Jugic-Salkic def. Miseviciute 6/3 6/1
Linetskaya def Roesch 6/0 6/3
Pin def. Fattakhetdinova 3/6 6/4 6/2

woooow!!!Zsofia will play against Angie Widjaja...

Angelika :rolleyes: :o

Mervana :)

Camille ;)

Aurelija :( :sad:

Aurelija, Lina and Gulnara :sad: :crying2:

Go Angie.. defend ur title..!!! :bounce:

C'mon G.....

Be confidence.... you can do it girl !!!!!!!!!

Aurelija :sad:
Lina :sad: :( so close

Camille :yeah:

Angelika :help:

Aurelija :sad: and Lina :sad:

1st round results:

RITTNER - LIGGAN 64 63
SUCHA(8) - ABRAMOVIC 64 62
OSTROVSKAYA - FISLOVA 36 61 75
NAGY - NOORLANDER 60 42 ret.

GO FLAVIA, GO!!!

Somebody has the results of the match about Flavia Pennetta Vs. Julia schruff ???? :confused:

well done Kyra!!

Go, Angie!
Yeah, we're hoping for a new record!



Last Month News

15 September 2003


Angelique Widjaja confirm participating in Al Habtoor Tennis Challenge
Would she be the first single winner to retain a title on Dubai land
Indonesian ace and Asia new generation hope Anqelique Widjaja has confirmed her participation in the forthcoming AL Habtoor Tennis Challenge schedule between the period of 13 - 19 October at the Metropolitan Resort and Beach Club.

"Angie" won the tournament last year with an impressive performance over fellow Asian compatriot Shinobu Asagoe of Japan in a firm 7/5 6/2 win. She captialised on that and went on from strength to strength to reach a career high of 50 compared to the 128 rank she started with Al Habtoor tournament last year.

Last week she played her home tournament of Bali, and in Bali she always have stories. The premier story was in 2001 when she became the lowest ranked player ever to win a WTA title at the rank of 579 of which she got her entry as a wild card. Last week she recovered in 1r from 5-3 third-set deficit to defeat world No. 64 Safina and reached QF but lost to Japanese world No. 68 Obata, after serving for the match 64 5-4.

It was Dubai who tuned her doubles career as well, in Al Habtoor Tennis Challenge last year she ended runner up with Bahia Mouhtassine of Morocco, and then in February at the Dubai Duty Free WTA tennis championships, discovered her ever since double partner Maria Vento Kapchi of Venezuela, where they lost to the legend Navratlova and Kuznetsova in the semi, reached the quarter final in the recent US Open and lately won at Bali.

This year she will be accompanied with her parents and private coach as she was always repeating the wish of bringing her family once with her to enjoy the great Dubai and the luxury facilities of the Metropolitan Resort and Beach Club, the venue of the $75,000 international womens tournament.

Mr. Khalaf Al Habtoor, Chairman of Al Habtoor group and founder of the tournament, has appraised the decision, "she is a very good competitor and a big fighter on court, last year she played very good and we are delighted that our tournament give her that push in the international ranking', he said.

Should Widjaja succeed to win this year Al Habtoor Tennis Challenge, she would be the only single player who retain his / her title or win singles competition twice in the land of Dubai, so said Hany El Khafief, Tournament Director, "11 years of Dubai Duty Free ATP, 3 years of WTA tours, 6 Habtoor tennis Challenge, 6 Men's Futures and no player ever won a single title in Dubai twice", he added. But to do so, she must overcome many of the other top 100 players expected to join the star studded tournament as the organizers expect the best line up ever in the tournament history

Angie, no more lost from 200players...

Angie defeated Zsofia Gubacsi

2-6, 6-1, 6-1

Thanks God!!!

Go, Angie!

May Dubai be your turning point this year ....

Jelena go!!!!!

As we all know, Angie has been in topsy turvy in her first year as senior player and tonight match was very important to her! Thanks to her mum for the live scores! ;)

1st set: 01 02 03 04 14 24 25 26 - Zsofia
2nd set: 10 20 30 31 41 51 61 - Angie
3rd set: 10 11 21 31 41 51 61 - ANGIE!!! :bounce:

It was typical of Angie to begin her match with a slow start! She must have been shocked with Zsofia's game or she tried to analyze her game first then she woke up and went mad!!! :eek: Good 1st rd for Angie as the match gets tougher and tougher! :fiery:

All the best for Angie in her 2nd rd! :D

GOOD LUCK MERVANA :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:


She is playing her first round aginst NAGYOVA Henrieta (SVK

Pheewww.... Angie, why you need to play 3 setter??

Well, good luck for the next rounds girl.. Get some confidence and keep fighting!! :bounce:

omg Zsofia...good luck next time!!

Franzit,is Dubai Channel captable in Italy with Sky?
thanks :kiss:

Keep it up G !!!!!

Good luck for the next round...;)

Any news of Kapros?

nm, I see she is on the schedule for tomorrow :)

All R1 results so far:

(1)Emmanuelle Gagliardi vs Selima Sfar TUN
Tatiana Poutchek BLR d. Elena Tatarkova UKR 6-4 6-2
Lenka Nemeckova CZE d. Q Camille Pin FRA 6-4 7-6(5)
(7)Lubomira Kurhajcova SVK d. LL Angelika Roesch GER 7-6(6) 6-2
(3)Angelique Widjaja INA d. Q Zsofia Gubacsi HUN 2-6 6-1 6-1
Eva Birnerova CZE d. WC Olga Barabanschikova BLR 6-3 6-3
Barbara Rittner GER d. Kelly Liggan IRL 6-4 6-3
Jelena Jankovic YUG vs (5)Aniko Kapros HUN

(8)Martina Sucha SVK d. Ivana Abramovic CRO 6-4 6-2
Nadejda Ostrovskaya BLR d. Eva Fislova SVK 3-6 6-1 7-5
WC Kyra Nagy HUN d. Seda Noorlander NED 6-0 4-2 ret.
(4)Arantxa Parra ESP d. Q Eugenia Linetskaya RUS 6-2 6-4
(6)Adriana Serra-Zanetti ITA d. Alyona Bondarenko UKR 6-0 6-1
Henrieta Nagyova SVK d. Q Mervana Jugic-Salkic BIH 3-6 6-1 6-3
Severine Beltrame FRA d. Bahia Mouhtassine MAR 6-3 4-6 6-4
(2)Flavia Pennetta ITA d. Julia Schruff GER 6-3 6-1