The Metropolitan Resort and Beach Club will again play host to the Al Habtoor Tennis challenge. Now in its third year, the event is the only professional ladies tennis tournament of its kind in the Middle East. With some of the world's top players on the women's professional circuit are taking part.

The tournament has been upgraded, to a new International Tennis Federation category which sees the event valued at over US$100,00 as the sponsors will be covering all the players expenses for those playing in the main draw. The Al Habtoor Tennis Challenge will be the first event to be played anywhere in the world this year in the category.

Thirty-two players will vie for the ladies title and a winner cheque of US$12,000 along with 65 world-ranking points. The Runner-up will receive US$6,400 and 46 world-ranking points. The two losing semi-finalists receive US$3,500 apiece plus 29 world-ranking points each.

The tournament has 25 players in the main draw with four qualifiers and three wild cards. A total of 16 pairs have entered for the doubles. There are seven wild cards available at this years event with one being given to the ladies Arab World Champion, Selima Sfar from Tunisia and another to the winner of the 8th Grand Prize Open Tennis Tournament of the Metropolitan Resort and Beach Hotel. The aim is to encourage women's tennis in the Middle East.

Sheikh Hamden bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance & Industry will once again be patron to the event.

Mr. Khalaf Al Habtoor, Chairman of the Al Habtoor Group and founder of the tournament that bears his name, said' "our aim is to establish a world class tennis tournament in Dubai on the ITF Women's world circuit." He went on, " I would like to thank Sheikh Hamden bin Rashid Al Maktoum for his continued support and encouragement and also to Tennis emirates and the ITF Women's Circuit for their advice, assistance and organisation. We also owe a lot to our sponsors who invaluable support makes this event possible."

The Tournament will take place from the 1st April to the 9th April with the qualifying round starting on the 1st to the 3rd with play starting in the morning and continuing throughout the day. The main draw will commence from the 3rd with play starting at 3pm daily.