Two-time grand slam champion Stan Wawrinka is set to make a return to the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships for the first time since 2008, the Swiss confirmed.
Following a disappointing fourth round defeat to Milos Raonic in the Australian Open in Melbourne on Monday, Wawrinka revealed his upcoming events which will be Marseille, Dubai, Indian Wells then Miami over the next two months.
The world No4 has only competed in Dubai twice, in 2006 and 2008 and lost in the first round both times, to Roger Federer and Jan Hernych respectively.
He will be looking to rebound from his Australian Open letdown in Dubai, and says his motivation behind coming back to the UAE is simply to spruce up his schedule, which gets monotonous at times.
“I think I like to sometimes to change a little bit. It’s been a long time that I didn’t play in Dubai. New tournament, new routine. It’s been a while that I’m on the tour. I like to change a little bit when I can,” Wawrinka said in Melbourne.
“We play always the same tournaments we have to play. When I have some choice to mix it a little bit, can be good also mentally to just see a different tournament.”
Wawrinka will be joined in the field by Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer, who share 11 titles in Dubai between them.
Meanwhile, WTA world No1 Serena Williams is hoping to end her title drought in the Emirates when she returns for a fifth appearance next month.
Williams is a three-time semi-finalist in Dubai but unlike her sister Venus – who has a hat-trick of trophies at the Aviation Club – has never been able to win the tournament.
Despite not being able to stamp her authority on the event so far, Serena is looking forward to coming back to the UAE.
“I like Dubai. It’s a great place to come to,” said the owner of 21 grand slams. “You know, what I like most about it is just the city. I go to a restaurant, and I see a guy and he’s like, I’m from New York. And another guy, they are all staff, and he’s from London. Another guy is from Nigeria. Another guy is from Asia. And it’s an incredible mix of people from absolutely everywhere in the world. It is a beautiful, beautiful thing. Everyone is just treated the same, so it’s just great. I love it.”