Dubai’s prestigious Al Habtoor Tennis Challenge witnessed a wave of anticipation as Hungarian tennis star Dalma Galfi made her triumphant return to the W100 ITF World Tennis Tour event after a five-year absence. The tournament commenced Sunday at the Habtoor Grand Resort in Mina Seyahi.
Galfi, 27, enters as top seed with a career-high singles ranking of 79 achieved in September 2022. Her history at this Dubai event includes a memorable semifinal run as a wild card entrant in 2019. “I love being in Dubai, and for sure I would love to do well during the week,” Galfi expressed during Sunday’s draw ceremony. “I am excited, not just because I am returning to Dubai after five years, but also because I have some great memories here.”
The Hungarian player faces a qualifier in her opening match, with a potential second-round encounter against veteran Vera Zvonareva, one of four wild card recipients this year. Galfi remains undaunted: “No match is going to be easy, and I am confident I can do some good hard work out there.”
Tournament founder Khalaf Al Habtoor emphasized the event’s significance as “the first tennis event for women in this part of the world” since its establishment in 1998. “Each year, our tournament keeps getting better,” Al Habtoor noted. “Tennis is such a sport that actually combines enjoyment with entertainment.”
The competition features several notable participants, including second seed Anastasia Zakharova and Dubai resident Kristina Mladenovic, former world number one in doubles. Slovakia’s Viktoria Hruncakova, making her ninth appearance, acknowledged the challenging draw: “I expect myself to fight all the time. It is a tough draw, and I will be prepared for some tight matches.”
Among emerging talents, Czech Republic’s Vendula Valdamannova, who turns 18 on December 10, declared ambitious intentions: “I am here to win this tournament.”
Sunday’s qualifying rounds saw Japanese players dominate, with top qualifier Mai Hontama leading a trio of compatriots into the next round. Main draw matches commence Monday alongside final qualifying rounds at the Habtoor Grand Resort courts.