LONDON: It says a lot about modern-day football that Zinedine Zidane — a hero at the Bernabeu as a player and the man who won the Spanish giants back-to-back Champions Leagues and the La Liga title during his first 18 months as coach — is possibly fighting to keep his job.
It would say even more about Real president Florentino Perez if he does eventually decide to give the Frenchman his marching orders.
While this season has not gone according to plan there has been a refreshing air about Zidane since he became boss. He has refused to splash the cash, insisting he had the players he needed to win the big trophies. That he made good on that promise only serves to underline what a good coach he is.
It is barely six months since he led Real to La Liga and Champions League glory, he has not become a bad coach overnight, and, by all accounts he is liked and respected by the players.
They are still in this year’s Champions League and Perez would do very well to remember what happened the last time he sacked a popular Real coach who had won the club two Champions League crowns.
During his first stint as Real president Perez bizarrely axed Vicente del Bosque in 2003. The five managers who succeeded Del Bosque won just one trophy between them, and even then that was just the Spanish Super Cup, hardly cause for celebration.
More than anyone Perez should know that rash decisions, especially ones concerning successful coaches, rarely work, and back Zidane to turn things around, it is the very least he deserves.
Real Madrid president must back Zidane to turn it around at the Bernabeu
Real Madrid president must back Zidane to turn it around at the Bernabeu
Tsitsipas, Auger-Aliassime, Medvedev, Rublev lead star-studded Dubai ATP 500 lineup
DUBAI: The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships will again welcome a world-class men’s line-up in 2026, with defending champion Stefanos Tsitsipas joined by Felix Auger-Aliassime, Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev for the ATP 500 from Feb. 23–28.
Tsitsipas will aim to defend the title he claimed last year when he capped a dominant week with victory over Auger-Aliassime. The triumph was a highlight of the Greek star’s season, underlining his ability on hard courts.
Auger-Aliassime, currently ranked world No. 7, arrives in Dubai following one of the most successful campaigns of his career. The Canadian lifted three ATP Tour titles in 2025 — Adelaide, Montpellier and Brussels — and reached the semifinals of the US Open, adding to his credentials as a leading contender after last year’s runner-up finish in Dubai.
Former champions Medvedev and Rublev join the field. Medvedev, the 2023 Dubai winner and 2021 US Open champion, remains one of the most formidable hard-court players on tour, with his tactical discipline and experience proving well suited to conditions in the UAE. Rublev, champion in 2022, returns after another consistent season, bringing his trademark intensity and powerful baseline game back to a venue where he has enjoyed notable success.
The 2026 line-up is further strengthened by world No. 10 Alexander Bublik, the 2024 Dubai finalist known for his flair and unpredictability, and British No. 1 Jack Draper, ranked world No. 11, who continued his rise with a breakthrough Masters 1000 title at Indian Wells last season. Also confirmed is world No. 17 Karen Khachanov, the Tokyo 2020 Olympic silver medalist, who enjoyed a strong 2025 and a runner-up finish at the National Bank Open in Toronto.
“We are thrilled with the strength and depth of the ATP 500 field confirmed for 2026,” said Ramesh Cidambi, managing director of Dubai Duty Free and chairman of the tournament’s organizing committee. “With Stefanos returning as defending champion, Felix coming off an exceptional season, and former champions like Daniil and Andrey in the mix, fans can expect outstanding tennis across both weeks.”
Tournament director Salah Tahlak said the event continued to be a benchmark on the men’s tour: “Year after year, the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships showcase an exceptional standard of tennis. With this caliber of players already confirmed, we are confident the 2026 ATP 500 will deliver another memorable week for fans in Dubai and audiences worldwide.”
The championships will again be staged back-to-back, with the women’s WTA 1000 tournament taking place from Feb. 15–21 followed by the men’s ATP 500 event. The women’s draw is set to feature many of the sport’s biggest names, including defending champion Mirra Andreeva, world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, six-time Grand Slam winner Iga Swiątek and world No. 3 Coco Gauff.
Tickets for both tournaments are now on sale via both ticketmaster.ae and the official tournament website. Prices start from 65 UAE dirhams.
The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships is owned and organized by Dubai Duty Free and held under the patronage of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, vice president and prime minister of the UAE and ruler of Dubai.
