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As tennis’ greatest ambassadors plan to descend upon Doha for the Qatar Total Open, under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, being held February 11-17, the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex is preparing the venue for a host of athletes, sponsors and fans. |
The venue was inaugurated by H.H. Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, the Emir of the State of Qatar, in 1992. The stadium had an initial capacity of 4,500 seats but it was later enlarged in 2008 to seat the current capacity of 7,000 spectators. 2008 also saw additional renovations to the set-up of the venue with the addition of new stands, VIP boxes, Lower, Middle and Upper sections and the VIP Village, Public Village and Food Court.
In 2012, two more show courts were added. Currently, the venue has one Centre Court, four show courts, and 20 outside courts. This makes the Khalifa International Tennis & Squash Complex the ideal setting for one of the greatest sporting events on the world stage. Set up of the Public Village, VIP Village, and Kids Zone are now underway and the venue is being transformed into an interactive, entertaining home for tennis and so much more during the first week of the New Year.
The Public Village offers fun and entertainment for the entire family. When not courtside watching matches, fans can take part in a variety of activities in the Public Village. The Food Court is located to the left of the Public Village where food and beverages can be purchased from top vendors such as Pizza Hut, Asiana, Arbys, Sterling Fast Food, TCBY and Coffee Beanery. To the right of the Public Village are the sponsor booths and Qatar Tennis Federation merchandise store. The Total booth is always a favourite among fans and WTA Tour players who stop by daily to sign autographs. Other sponsor tents include Fifty One East, Qatar Duty Free, Wilson, BMW, and Qatar Airways. The Kids Zone will host activities like face-painting, medallion-painting, arts and crafts and will also include inflatable castles and an obstacle course.
The VIP Village provides an opportunity for fans to mingle with players, sponsors and other VIP guests – all in a luxurious and relaxing atmosphere. Guests can enjoy a variety of international cuisines, live stations and beverages, while some of the best lounge DJs in the city provide music throughout the event. Guest can collect their copy of the Official Tournament Program at the VIP Reception Desk, purchase official Qatar Tennis Federation merchandise, strike up a conversation with other VIP guests over espresso at the coffee corner, and even meet a tennis star. The Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex also provides medical services, restrooms and an information kiosk for all those attending the games.
Tickets are on sale at www.qatartennis.org and at the following locations: City Center, Lagoona, Landmark and the Khalifa International Tennis & Squash Complex.
The matches will be telecast live in Doha on Al Jazeera Sports channels – both in English and in Arabic. Various Al Jazeera divisions will be covering the tournament to give viewers a total experience of the tennis – both on court and behind the scenes. Last year’s international television broadcast reached over 150 million homes worldwide.
The Qatar Total Open 2013 will be seen and read about throughout Qatar and the world thanks to the tireless media who cover the event from start to finish. Tickets are still available for those who can watch the action in person by going to www.qatartennis.org or purchasing tickets at Lagoona, City Center, Landmark or the Khalifa International Tennis & Squash Complex.
