Women's Stars Inspire Young Players at Dugas Kid's Day

Dubai, UAE, February 19th, 2007: Women’s tennis stars Katarina Srebotnik of Slovenia and Jasmin Woehr of Germany joined nearly 2,000 children for a fun-filled morning of tennis at the annual Kid’s Day at the Dubai Tennis Championships.

Hosted by Dugas and run by the Clark Francis Tennis Academy, children from 25 schools around the region and the tournament’s 180 ball kids took part in the tennis drills and activities alongside the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour players at the Dubai Tennis Stadium.

“It’s great because there are so many kids, and they’re having so much fun and smiling. I really love it,” said Woehr, who is making her first appearance at the Dubai Tennis Championships this week.

The Dubai-based Srebotnik, currently ranked number 23 in the world, said: “To find the best tennis players it depends on the generation, whether they are good enough and work hard enough, but the infrastructure and facilities in Dubai are superb so there is a great set up for up and coming players.”

She added: “So far it’s been a good year for me and Dubai is a great place to play tennis. I looked at a few options but Dubai was the best solution for me. I hope to be here for many years if I can.”

Twelve-year-old Bonnie Paul and brother Chase, 11, were attending Dugas Kid’s Day for the second time and represented Wellington International Court with top finishes in their drills.

“It’s nice and really fun,” said Bonnie, who aspires to be a professional tennis player. “I especially like the contests.”

Shamma Usef, 13, from Al Khaleej International School said: “The best part was when the international players came onto the court, that was really cool. I really like the sport. I’d like to start playing and maybe have some lessons if I can.”

The championships have for many years been committed to grassroots tennis. The tournament has an ongoing programme of competitions and clinics for schools and tennis academies which provide children with an introduction to the game whilst also providing the opportunity to meet with and learn from the competing tennis stars.

The Dubai Tennis Championships is owned and organised by Dubai Duty Free and takes place under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

For further information: John Rynehart, Promoseven Sports Marketing,
(T) +9714 3210008; (M) +971 50 55 96795; john.rynehart@promoseven.com