Tag Archives: dubai lifestyle news
Dubai to host postponed Davis Cup ties
Dubai will host a number of Davis Cup matches that were originally meant to take place in troubled Myanmar.The emirate has an array of world-class sporting facilities and the International Tennis Federation (ITF) clearly has no qualms about holding the Group III and Group IV fixtures in the city.According to Gulf News, an ITF representative recently visited Dubai in order to assess the sheikhdom's ability to stage such an important event and they were obviously happy with what they saw.The UAE will have a team in the tournament and they will be joined by a host of countries for the week-long event, including Cambodia, Iran, Malaysia, Oman, Vietnam, Hong Kong and a team from the Pacific-Oceania region.These matches were supposed to have been completed in Myanmar in April, but were rescheduled because of the political upheaval in this part of the world.Senior figures at Tennis Emirates said it would be an honour to host such a prestigious competition.Vice president Abdul Rahman Falaknaz told the news provider he is realistic about the UAE's chances in the competition, but he has high hopes for the future of tennis in the country.”The future is looking bright and all the board members are comfortable working with each other. The challenges are many but we are willing and excited to work,” he was quoted as saying.Countries from all over the world take part in the Davis Cup and it is a lengthy tournament.At the moment, the Czech Republic top the rankings after 13 games, but Spain, Serbia, Argentina and France are all close behind.The fact that Dubai has been selected to put on these important matches not only reflects well on its facilities, but also highlights the benefits of having a stable government.Of course, the city has proven time and again it is capable of putting on a well organised tournament and current world number one Novak Djokovic recently said he is always impressed with how professional the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships are. Continue reading
Dubai set to stage charity bouts
A number of renowned sporting stars will take part in a series of amateur boxing matches in Dubai on Friday (May 24th).Former rugby and cricket players will square off against each other at Dubai Sports City, with the proceeds from the event going to the Fighting Chance Dubai charity.The bouts will pit athletes from the northern hemisphere against contenders from the southern hemisphere and it is likely to be a memorable occasion.Former England cricketer Adam Hollioake is set to take part in the fight night and he will be faced by ex-New Zealand rugby player Carlos Spencer.Hollioake told the National that he is looking forward to the charitable event.”I know [Spencer] is a big strong boy, there is no doubt about that. If it was a beauty competition, he would definitely beat me,” he was quoted as saying.”He has got the body, hasn't he? But I'm a pretty tough dude myself, so we'll just have to see what happens.”Hollioake is no stranger to competitive bouts, as he made the unlikely transition into cage fighting when he retired from cricket.Former Wales winger Shane Williams is also on the card and he will step into the ring with ex-South Africa scrum-half Bolla Conradie.Not only is this event being held for a good cause, but it also highlights Dubai's status as a sporting hub.The city is accustomed to staging high-profile competitions and more and more sports are considering the emirate when organising future tournaments. There is a certain glamour about Dubai that promoters seem to love.Rumours have been circulating that Dubai could be in line to host one of the most highly anticipated boxing matches of the year.Manny Pacquiao revealed earlier in 2013 that he is looking for locations outside the US to stage his next big fight and his team suggested that Dubai is a possibility.While it is not clear exactly who the Filipino ace will face, the fact that Dubai is even being mooted as a potential destination for the encounter emphasises just how far the emirate has come. Continue reading
Metro passenger numbers increase sharply
More than 33.34 million passengers used the red and green lines on the Dubai Metro in the first quarter of 2013, which was a significant increase on the corresponding period in 2012.New figures released by the Road and Transport Authority (RTA) confirmed the light railway is going from strength to strength, with the red line carrying a staggering 21.8 million people between January and March. Meanwhile, more than 11.5 million commuters travelled on the green line.Adnan Al Hammadi, chief executive officer of the RTA's Rail Agency said he was pleased with the statistics.”This is what we seek to achieve through our annual schemes by setting a diversified package of initiatives and activities that contribute to attracting all segments of society to use the Metro as the premier means of transportation, as it is secure, safe and luxurious at the same time,” he remarked.Deira City Centre Metro station reported the highest volume of traffic during the first quarter, as 1.64 million people travelled to and from this popular part of town.The green line's Al Fahidi station was also incredibly busy, with 1.37 million passengers using the facility over the three-month period.With so many people moving to Dubai on a permanent basis, it is important that the emirate's public transport infrastructure is up to scratch.A number of significant upgrades have been slated for the Metro system and these will increase the capacity of the transport network considerably.Building developers are erecting new residential properties on the outskirts of the city and the RTA is keen to ensure people who live a little further afield are able to travel into the heart of Dubai without any stress.Last month, the RTA revealed that new bus services would be introduced and some of these would act as feeder routes for the Metro. This will ensure more people will be able to reach the busy business districts and plethora of leisure facilities in the centre of town. Continue reading
