This year's Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship features one of the most star-studded fields in its history, and the women's draw is leading the way.
Eight of the current top-10 on the WTA tour will all feature at Irish Village's tennis stadium, with four former champions also looking to regain their crown.
Here, we look at how that foursome of past champions won in Dubai.
Venus Williams – 2009, 2010, 2014 winner
Defending champion Venus Williams has lifted the trophy on no fewer than three occasions, first claiming the title in 2009 with a thrilling run that included victory over world number four Elena Dementieva and an incredible semi-final win over sister Serena in a third set tiebreak. She returned the next year and swept to the title without dropping a set, defeating Victoria Azarenka in the final.
Then last year she became the first wild card and first unseeded player in the history of the women’s event to win the title, overcoming former world number one Ana Ivanovic and 2011 Dubai winner Caroline Wozniacki along the way…
Caroline Wozniacki – 2011 winner
Wozniacki had won the title by not giving up a set all week as she climaxed her run with victory over former French and US Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova. Since that triumph she has continued to excel at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium, reaching the semi-finals three straight times and twice losing only to the eventual champion.
Agnieszka Radwanska – 2012 winner
In 2012 the title went to Agnieszka Radwanska, taking full advantage of not having to face a top 10 opponent all week as she worked her way to a final showdown with 19th-ranked Julia Goerges.
Petra Kvitova – 2013 winner
Kvitova reversed her dismal Dubai record in spectacular fashion in 2013. Having lost to qualifiers ranked far below her the previous two years, she made it third time lucky as she dismissed former winners Wozniacki and Radwanska in straight sets before beating Sara Errani in a three-set final.
