Robredo Joins Dubai Tennis Championship
- Spaniard looks to build on recent good form -
Dubai, UAE, February 13th, 2007: Elegant Spaniard Tommy Robredo is the latest big name to join the star-studded line-up for this month’s Dubai Tennis Championships, joining compatriot Rafael Nadal, world number one Roger Federer and Australian Open quarter-finalist Nikolay Davydenko.
The 24-year old from Barcelona has recently come off the most successful season of his career, which saw him reach the top 10, claim the Tennis Masters title in Hamburg and a further title in the Swedish seaside town of Bastad, reach the final in front of his home crowd in Barcelona and qualify for the Tennis Masters Cup in Shanghai.
“At the beginning of the year my goal was to try and win two tournaments and to get into the top 10,” said Robredo. “After winning Hamburg, everything changed. I was nearly sure I was going to finish in the top 10 - then why not try to make another goal? And that was to try and finish in the top eight and be in the Tennis Masters Cup for the first time in my career. Now I can say that I did. It was the best year of my life.”
Robredo has continued his winning ways in 2007, reaching the final of the Hopman Cup mixed team event, the Auckland final and the quarter-finals of the Australian Open where he ran into defending champion Roger Federer.
Tommy might be an unusual name for a Spaniard, but his father was a big fan of The Who, and he decided to name his son after their rock opera. And music plays a part in his pre-match routine.
“I like to put my iPod on and listen to music for about 20 minutes,” Robredo explained. “Nobody can disturb me. I have about 1,000 songs on my iPod but before the matches I like to listen to rock because then I arrive a little bit more motivated on the court.
“I like to listen to ZZ Top, Coldplay, Mana, for example, but I also have Mozart, Bach, any kind of music. It just makes me feel good and takes my mind off the match.”
Now he is set to try and snatch the Dubai Duty Free Men’s Open title from fellow-Spaniard Nadal.
“Tommy Robredo is playing in Dubai for a fifth time, and he can look back with pride in what he has achieved so far after reaching the semi-finals here in both 2003 and 2005,” said Colm McLoughlin, Managing Director of tournament organisers Dubai Duty Free. “Now he is an even better player and it will be great to see if he can advance further this time.”
Play begins at the Dubai Tennis Centre on 19th February with defending champion Justine Henin and US Open winner Maria Sharapova headlining the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour event, and continues on 26th February when Rafael Nadal begins his title defence alongside three-time former champion Roger Federer.
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.
