No 1 Club
Federer returns to his desert kingdom in Dubai, where It All Added Up
Swiss legend won eight titles in Dubai, including his 100th tour-level crown in 2019
February 24, 2026
Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships 2026
Roger Federer is a record eight-time champion in Dubai.
By Jerome Coombe
Roger Federer and the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships have long been intertwined and on Monday, the record eight-time champion was back where so much of his history was written.
No player has shaped the hard-court event quite like the Swiss maestro, whose blend of elegance and sustained excellence helped turn Dubai into one of the defining stops of his career. The former No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings first lifted the trophy in 2003, a breakthrough season that preceded his ascent to the top of the sport.
The aura 😮💨@rogerfederer @DDFTennis pic.twitter.com/eTqlHMSvrp
— ATP Tour (@atptour) February 23, 2026
Federer would go on to add seven more titles in Dubai and, across his appearances, he amassed a 53-6 record, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index. The event became a regular early-season barometer for his form and a place where title runs often foreshadowed bigger achievements later in the year.
While returning to the ATP 500 tournament on Monday, Federer watched from the stands to see his countryman Stan Wawrinka, the 2016 champion, battle past Benjamin Hassan. After the match, Hassan enjoyed his own brush with greatness when he met the Swiss legend.
“I’m never washing my hand again,” Hassan joked, grinning after shaking hands with the 20-time major champion.
It was in Dubai in 2019 that Federer authored one of the most meaningful milestones of his career. By defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas for the title, he captured his 100th tour-level crown, becoming just the second man in the Open Era to reach the century mark. Only Jimmy Connors (109) had previously achieved the feat, and since then Novak Djokovic has joined the exclusive club with 101 titles.
That victory further cemented Federer’s place in ATP No. 1 Club lore. He spent a record 310 weeks at World No. 1, including 237 consecutive weeks — a reign that overlapped with three of his triumphs in Dubai. In many ways, the tournament mirrored his career arc: early breakthrough, sustained dominance and late-career milestone.
Dubai also became more than a tournament stop for Federer. Over the years, he frequently based himself in the city during the offseason, taking advantage of its training facilities and warm-weather conditions as he prepared for new campaigns. The familiarity bred comfort, and the comfort bred success. Federer’s victories in Dubai also spanned generations: From his first title at 21 to his 100th crown at age 37.
Now, the 40-year-old Wawrinka, who shared a chat with Federer post-match, is one of five former champions in the 2026 field, joining Tsitsipas, Ugo Humbert, Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev.
