Jumeirah Golf Estates, the outstanding host venue for The European Tour’s season-ending DP World Tour Championship, Dubai, has been named Monday as the ninth European Tour Destination, marking an expansion into the Middle East for the growing network of venues under the European Tour Properties banner.
The historic announcement, which comes less than a month before the climax to the fifth Race to Dubai played over the superb Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates from Nov. 14-17, also coincides with the launch of the second state-of-the-art European Tour Performance Institute (ETPI) located at the venue.
European Tour Properties is The European Tour’s portfolio of world-class venues that benefit from focused, year-long sales, marketing and operational support. As a European Tour Destination, Jumeirah Golf Estates joins PGA Catalunya Resort in Spain; London Golf Club in England; Terre Blanche Hotel Spa Golf Resort in Provence, France, and its sister venue Golf Club St. Leon-Rot near Frankfurt, Germany; Le Golf National in Paris, France where The 2018 Ryder Cup will be played; The Dutch in Holland; Diamond Country Club in Austria; and Golf & Country Club Fleesensee, near Berlin in Germany, in an expanding collection.
Meanwhile, the Middle East’s first ETPI academy, boasting world-class training facilities for elite professional and amateur golfers alike, serves to enhance the status of Jumeirah Golf Estates as one of the region’s most exciting new all-round golf complexes. The latest ETPI follows in the footsteps of the inaugural facility at Terre Blanche, where the Albatros Golf Performance Center was officially launched as the first ETPI in March 2012.
Since its launch in 2009, European Tour Properties has grown to encompass 13 member venues – nine Destinations and four Tour Courses spanning 11 different countries — the majority of which have staged top class tournament golf at European Tour, Senior Tour, Challenge Tour or European Tour Qualifying School level, either currently or in the recent past.
Along with hosting the Tour’s season-end finale, Jumeirah Golf Estates will benefit from the global recognition and exposure which comes with becoming a Tour Destination. Jumeirah Golf Estates, which currently boasts two Greg Norman-designed championship layouts in the Fire and Earth courses, also delivers a luxury residential golf community within the complex, adjacent to a state-of-the-art clubhouse currently under construction, which is planned to be part operational in time for the 2014 DP World Tour Championship.
Tournament golf in the region has expanded dramatically in 2013 with the traditional ‘Desert Swing’ in Abu Dhabi, Qatar and Dubai being augmented by Challenge Tour events in Oman and Dubai scheduled over the next month, with discussions at an advanced stage for a Senior Tour event in early 2014.
George O’Grady, Chief Executive of The European Tour, welcomed the first all-purpose European Tour facility in the Gulf region.
He said: “Today’s historic announcement of the first Tour Destination and ETPI in the Middle East further endorses the status of Jumeirah Golf Estates as our season-ending tournament venue and as an internationally acclaimed destination, which has been widely praised by the players and public alike.
“We thank Yousuf Kazim and all the Board of Directors at Jumeirah Golf Estates for their cooperation and support, and we look forward to working closely in partnership to complete the development over the next 18 months, while the world class practice and training facilities available at the ETPI academy, along with the highest standards of biomechanical and nutritional advice, deliver all the necessary requirements for the elite European Tour professional.”
Jumeirah Golf Estates becomes first European Tour Destination in Middle East
Jumeirah Golf Estates becomes first European Tour Destination in Middle East
‘Sincaraz’ set to dominate as 2026 tennis season kicks off
- The new season gets under way on Friday with the mixed-teams United Cup in Perth and Sydney, headlined by women’s world No. 2 Iga Swiatek and men’s world No. 3 Alexander Zverev.
- Top-ranked Sabalenka, who is pursuing a third Melbourne Park trophy, starts at the Brisbane International from Jan. 4-11 in a stellar field also boasting Australian Open champion Madison Keys and fourth-ranked Amanda Anisimova
- Djokovic begins what could be his last year on tour at the Adelaide International starting on Jan. 12, still chasing an elusive record 25th major crown and 11th Australian Open title
SYDNEY: Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are set for more world domination in 2026, starting at the Australian Open, while Aryna Sabalenka is bubbling with confidence as she chases further Grand Slam success.
The new season gets under way on Friday with the mixed-teams United Cup in Perth and Sydney, headlined by women’s world No. 2 Iga Swiatek and men’s world No. 3 Alexander Zverev.
Top-ranked Sabalenka, who is pursuing a third Melbourne Park trophy, starts at the Brisbane International from Jan. 4-11 in a stellar field also boasting Australian Open champion Madison Keys and fourth-ranked Amanda Anisimova.
Alcaraz and Sinner, or “Sincaraz” as they have been dubbed, play an exhibition in South Korea on Jan. 10 in their only warm-up before the Australian Open eight days later.
While Spanish sensation Alcaraz bumped his Italian rival from the season-ending world No. 1 spot, Sinner had the last laugh by edging him to retain his ATP Finals title in Turin.
It capped a stellar year in which Sinner retained his Australian Open crown and added a landmark triumph at Wimbledon among six titles, despite missing three months over a doping ban.
“I feel like a better player than last year,” said Sinner after completing his 2025 campaign with 58 wins and just six defeats.
“A lot of wins and not many losses. And in the losses I had, I tried to see the positive thing and tried to use it to evolve me as a player.”
Alcaraz was similarly dominant, clocking a 71-9 win-loss record with eight titles including the French Open and US Open.
But he is yet to go beyond the quarterfinals at the Australian Open, losing to Novak Djokovic in the last eight in 2025.
It is the only Slam missing from his resume and the 22-year-old will start afresh with a new coach after his shock split from Juan Carlos Ferrero, who mentored him since he was 15.
Djokovic last hurrah?
Djokovic begins what could be his last year on tour at the Adelaide International starting on Jan. 12, still chasing an elusive record 25th major crown and 11th Australian Open title.
Now 38, he has had to settle for a secondary role since Sinner and Alcaraz took control of the men’s tour, making the semis at all four majors in 2025 but not going further.
“I can do only as much as I can do,” he admitted after defeat at the US Open.
“It will be very difficult for me in the future to overcome the hurdle of Sinner or Alcaraz in a best-of-five in a Grand Slam.”
Since his last Slam title, in 2023 at the US Open, Alcaraz or Sinner have shared all eight majors.
A resurgent Felix Auger-Aliassime, Taylor Fritz and Alex de Minaur, ranked five, six and seven respectively, all feature at the United Cup, while Daniil Medvedev and a returning Nick Kyrgios play in Brisbane.
Sabalenka heads into the new season as undoubted world No. 1, having collected a second US Open title while also winning events at Brisbane, Madrid and Miami.
The Belarusian is favorite for a third Australian Open crown and fifth Slam title, although the likes of Swiatek, Coco Gauff and Elena Rybakina will have something to say.
“The Australian Open is very special to me,” said Sabalenka, who lost a three-set thriller to Keys in the 2025 decider and heads to Australia after losing the controversial “Battle of the Sexes” clash to Kyrgios in Dubai.
“Winning it twice gives me confidence, but every year brings a new challenge. I’m excited to return and see what I can achieve.”
Challenging her on Pat Rafter Arena in Brisbane will be Keys, along with fellow top-10 stars Rybakina, Anisimova, Jessica Pegula and Mirra Andreeva.
Swiatek leads Poland in Sydney at the United Cup, again teaming up with Hubert Hurkacz in their quest for revenge after being beaten by Team USA in the final in 2025 and Germany a year earlier.
The US are spearheaded by Gauff and Fritz, while four-time major winner Naomi Osaka plays the event for the first time, representing Japan.
