Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships—Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Berrettini Upsets Djokovic in Doha; Badosa Reaches Dubai Third Round
Day 3 action at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships in Dubai, United Arab Emirates saw inform Spaniard Paula Badosa easily advance to the round of 16, defeating Elise Mertens 6-2, 6-1.
Needing one hour and 13 minutes to prevail, Badosa hit four aces, won 87 percent of her first serve points, and broke her Belgium opponent on four occasions.
Playing some of the best tennis of her career, Badosa will next face No. 6 seed Elena Rybakina for place in the quarterfinals.
Rybakina dispatched Moyuka Uchijima 6-3, 6-2 in one hour and two minutes.
The day’s other result saw Linda Noskova take out No. 11 seed Diana Shnaider 7-6(8), 4-6, 6-3.
Matches that are still to come on Tuesday will see top seed Aryna Sabalenka in action.
No. 2 seed Iga Swiatek easily defeated Victoria Azarenka 6-0, 6-2 later in the day. No. 3 seed Coco Gauff was eliminated by country woman Mccartney Kessler 6-4, 7-5.
Restaurants Open During Ramadan
During Ramadan in Dubai, while many observe a fast from dawn until sunset, numerous restaurants remain open to cater to those who are not fasting. To make getting around easier, consider sport car rental in Dubai.
Here are some of the best places to eat during the day in Dubai during Ramadan:
Business Bay and Downtown Dubai
Eat Fuchsia
Enjoy authentic Thai cuisine at this restaurant in Bay Square, Business Bay. It is open for dine-in and delivery throughout Ramadan and offers Iftar deals.
- Average price for two: AED 200
- Timings: 12:00 pm to 10:30 pm | 12:00 pm to 12:00 am (Weekends)
Kcal
If you’re looking to maintain your fitness plans, Kcal in Business Bay offers wholesome breakfast and lunch options throughout the day.
- Average price for two: AED 150
- Timings: 07:00 am to 11:00 pm
Ewaan
Located in Palace Downtown, this Arabic and Oriental restaurant serves breakfast alongside Iftar and Suhoor. You can expect authentic Arabic cuisine with signature dishes.
- Average price for two: AED 500
- Timings: 06:30 am to 11:00 pm
Karak House
This stylish Arabic & Indian fusion cafe in Downtown Dubai is perfect if you’re craving karak chai and a hearty breakfast.
- Average price for two: AED 270
- Timings: 10:00 am to 01:00 am
Dubai Mall
Most restaurants in Dubai Mall are open from 10:00 am to 12:00 am daily. However, some eateries open for breakfast from 09:00 am.
Markette
This restaurant serves breakfast and lunch, including a variety of comfort food and great coffee.
- Average price for two: AED 345
GIA
This gourmet Italian eatery offers a carefully crafted, innovative menu blending Italian flavors and Middle Eastern tastes.
- Average price for two: AED 430
Social House
Enjoy international flavors while admiring views of the Dubai Fountain.
- Average price for two: AED 275
Dubai Marina
Eeten
Visit Dubai Marina Mall and experience al fresco dining on the terrace, enjoying views of Dubai Marina or sitting indoors at this Chinese restaurant.
- Average price for two: AED 125
- Timings: 08:00 am to 12:00 am | 08:00 am to 11:00 pm (Sunday to Thursday)
DIFC
- LPM Restaurant: One of the best restaurants in DIFC, LPM offers French-Mediterranean lunch and Iftar.
- Average price for two: AED 350
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Qatar ExxonMobil Open—Doha, Qatar
Tuesday’s results at the Qatar ExxonMobil Open in Doha, Qatar former Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini upset world No. 7 Novak Djokovic reach the second round of the event, defeating the 24-time Major winner 7-6(4), 6-2.
Needing one hour and 39 minutes to advance, Berrettini hit 13 aces, won 85 percent of his first serve points and broke his Serbian opponent on two occasions.
Berrettini captured his first victory against Djokovic in five meetings.
Playing his first event since his Australian Open withdrawal, Djokovic will next see action at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California.
Berrettini will next face Tallon Griekspoor for a quarterfinal spot. Griekspoor ousted Jan-Lennard Struff 7-6(5), 7-6(7).
Chessmaster at work! ??@DaniilMedwed #QatarExxonMobilOpen pic.twitter.com/2zOPYdD4C2
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) February 18, 2025
Other matches that took place on Tuesday saw No. 2 seed Alex de Minaur, No. 4 seed Daniil Medvedev, No. 5 seed Andrey Rublev, Nuno Borges, Zizou Bergs, Botic Van De Zandschulp and Luca Nardi all reaching the second round.
Nardi will next face top seed Carlos Alcaraz on Wednesday. The Spaniard was a straight sets winner over former US Open champion Marin Cilic on Monday. Alcaraz needed one hour and 39 minutes to advance.
Check back for daily updates from TennisConnected.com throughout the year for your up-to-date schedules, reviews, draws and results.
Live Streaming for this week’s ATP Tour and WTA tournaments can be found right here.
