With all the hype surrounding the top ranked players coming to Dubai for next week’s Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, its easy to forget there are some other very serious contenders for the title who’s names may not be as familiar.
One such player is Agnieszka Radwanska, the 22 year old from Poland who has quietly climbed to an impressive number 6 in the rankings. Few may recognise her as a potential winner, but with seven career singles titles to her name and her third season in the top 10, she is making her presence felt.
She has already achieved several firsts in her career, being the first Polish woman to win a WTA singles title at the age of 18 in 2007, the first to rank in the top ten and the first to beat a reigning World number 1 when she defeated Caroline Wozniacki in Sydney in January this year, on her way to the semi finals at the Sydney International. She then reached the quarter finals at the Australian Open where she lost to eventual champion Victoria Azarenka.
But the quiet life suits her just fine. “I’m not thinking about if I deserve more attention,” said Agnieszka. “I’m happy to be a little bit outside and have my own life, some private life, so that’s why I’m not in the tabloids all the time. I think I’m just going to keep it that way. Of course when I’m home they recognise me on the street and everywhere I go.
“Agnieszka Radwanska has enjoyed tremendous success, including here in Dubai where she reached the semi-finals two years ago” said Colm McLoughlin, Executive Vice Chairman of tournament owners and organisers Dubai Duty Free. “While much of the attention might be centred on several of the other top players that will be playing this year, it would be no surprise if she was able to win her eighth title here next month.”
To achieve that Radwanska will have to overcome a challenging field that features seven of the world’s top 10, including number one Caroline Wozniacki, Wimbledon champion and world number two Petra Kvitova, world number three and WTA Championships finalist Victoria Azarenka and US Open winner Sam Stosur.
“Agnieska Radwanska could be the surprise package of the tournament,” said Tournament Director Salah Tahlak. “With wins against new world number one Azarenka and last year’s finalists Wozniacki and Svetlana Kuznetsova already under her belt, anything is possible for the Polish sensation, so we will be watching her with interest next week”.
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