When it comes to the annals of the Dubai Tennis Championships, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic occupy a pedestal that’s unparalleled. The illustrious tournament, which first saw the light of day in 1993, has crowned many champions. Yet, only these two titans of tennis have the distinction of multiple wins.
Swiss maestro Roger Federer has an illustrious history with the Dubai Tennis Championships. His journey to victory started in 2003 when he defeated Jiri Novak to clinch his first title. This marked the beginning of a Federer reign, with consecutive wins in 2004 and 2005 against Feliciano Lopez and Ivan Ljubicic. Though Rafael Nadal snapped Federer’s winning streak in the 2006 final, Federer retaliated by securing the title in 2007 against Mikhail Youzhny.
A brief setback against Djokovic in 2011 couldn’t stop Federer’s domination. He rallied and vanquished Andy Murray in 2012 to secure his fifth Dubai title. This was followed by back-to-back victories in 2014 and 2015, against Tomas Berdych and Djokovic himself. Federer’s last victory came in 2019, where he bested Stefanos Tsitsipas in straight sets, marking his eighth title.
Hot on Federer’s heels is Serbian Novak Djokovic, with five Dubai titles under his belt. His first victory came in 2009 against David Ferrer, sparking off a series of three consecutive wins. His successful title defense in 2010 against Youzhny, and a win over Federer in 2011, cemented Djokovic’s position at the top. After claiming his fourth title in 2013 by beating Berdych, Djokovic had to wait until 2020 to clinch his fifth title against Tsitsipas.
While Federer and Djokovic are the only players to have multiple titles, the Dubai Tennis Championships has not been without other notable victors. Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray, Andy Roddick, Daniil Medvedev, and Juan Carlos Ferrero, all former world No. 1’s, have tasted success in Dubai. Past Grand Slam champions like Stan Wawrinka, Thomas Muster, and Goran Ivanisevic have also been crowned champions.
Looking to the future, the 2025 Dubai Tennis Championships could see a new name joining this elite club of multiple title winners. Daniil Medvedev, despite having not won an ATP title since May 2023, is a strong contender as the top seed. Andrey Rublev, who lost the 2023 final to Medvedev but had previously won the title in 2022, also stands a chance. Ugo Humbert, the reigning champion, is another potential candidate, seeded fifth for the tournament this week.
In the end, no matter who emerges as the champion, the legacy of Federer and Djokovic in the Dubai Tennis Championships will forever be etched in history.