Dubai 2026 ATP 500 - Tournament Preview

Here is my Preview of the Dubai ATP 500 Duty Free Tennis Championships tournament.  

According to average from the last three years, Dubai is played on Quick Outdoor Hard courts:

Speed Statistics

These are the averages of the last 5 years:

• 73.6% Points won on the first serve
• 82.4% Service Holds
• 0.61 Aces/Game
• 0.19 TB/Set

 These numbers suggest that ot is among the fastests outdoor hard court trournaments in the circuit.

 Past Winners 

2025: Tsitsipas d. Auger-Aliassime

2024: Humbert d. bublik

2023: Medvedev d. Rublev

2022: Rublev d. Vesely

2021: Karatsev d. Harris

 Federer has won the title 8 times, Djokovic 5 and Nadal only one

Weather

Next week in Dubai, forecast models indicate dry conditions with no precipitation expected, daily maximum temperatures between 28–31°C (82–88°F) and minimum temperatures between 19–21°C (66–70°F), easing to around 25°C (77–78°F) by the end of the period; relative humidity is projected to range from 45–60% during daytime hours and increase to 65–75% overnight and early morning, with light to moderate winds and no significant weather disturbances anticipated.

Player Statements

De Minaur, 2025: "It’s very different conditions coming from Doha here to Dubai. It’s a lot warmer here, and the conditions are a lot quicker. It’s going to take a little bit getting used to these conditions."

Berrettini, 2025 (about the balls): "I feel they are all getting slower over time, but I like Dunlop."

Medvedev, 2025: "It was ridiculous how slow the balls were."

Rublev, 2024: "Here is completely different conditions in Dubai. I don’t know if it’s because of the balls or the courts or it’s because of the desert or air. Yeah, let’s say last week, Doha, and this week, completely different conditions. In my opinion, here is much tougher to play, much tougher to control the ball. I have no idea why because it’s only one hour or even less fly. The weather more or less the same. The balls were the same also I think there. But I don’t know, to be honest. It’s not easy to play here, it’s true. Like I said, when you play during the day, then at night, even completely different conditions."

Rublev, 2024: "I think this surface fits well to Bublik. It is fast and it suits his fast shots and drop shots. I hope I can play well here also as you can see from my past results. I hope that I play well tomorrow.”

Medvedev, 2024: “I’m feeling good here. Its a pretty fast court.”

Krajinovic, 2022: “The surface is extremely fast, especially court 1. I don't like that, but that is what it is.”

Rublev, 2022: “It was much tougher today playing during the day when the sun is still there and everything is much faster.”

Djokovic, 2022: "I think that this court is playing very quick, actually the quickest I ever experienced the surface here in Dubai. It was always fast, but a lot of players that I talked to have been saying the same thing — it's very, very fast.”

Harris, 2021: “I get an extra pop on the serve. I don't have to force it so much on this surface. A faster court is always good for me.”

Goffin, 2021: “I know now why I didn't come to Dubai in the past because it's very tough, it's so fast, fast to control, it's not easy for my game, especially when you play Kei.”

Shapovalov, 2021: “I like the quick courts, they favour my game.”

Thiem,2021: “From Doha to Dubai! Since Saturday I have been preparing for my second tournament in the sheikhdom in the desert, the conditions are definitely slightly different: It is hotter in Dubai, the courts are faster as well.”

Rublev, 2021: “It’s always tough conditions to play here as the balls fly and it doesn’t suit my game style. It will be a great challenge for me, as I will need to find other ways to play matches.”

Karatsev, 2021: “I only arrived from Doha last night and everything is much quicker here.”

Nishikori, 2021: “t's a fast court and the bounce is high, so I had to step in a little more on return.”

Summary

Quick hard court tournament. It seems Court 1 is even quicker than the Central Court.

Th ball (Dunlop) uses to fly very quick through the air. During the day, with hot, the bounce of the ball is  high and difficult to control.

This is important, the transition from Doha to Dubai won't be easy. Very different conditions.

Federer won here 8 times, Nadal only once, this can give us a reference of the type of courts.

Draws

Here’s the link to the Qualies and Main draws — you can check it anytime to follow the latest updates and see which players advance through each round.