Djokovic and Wozniacki targeting Dubai title defences

Both defending champions are relishing the challenge of defending their respective crowns at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships next month.

dubai tennis championships 2011
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Novak Djokovic and Caroline Wozniacki are both targeting successful title defences at the Dubai Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships next month.

Djokovic, the world No 1, has won the men's event for the last three years, and is looking to equal Roger Federer's record of four titles in Dubai with victory at the event at the Aviation Club between February 27 and March 3.

The Serbian, currently battling to defend his Australian Open title in Melbourne, credits his strong record at the event being down to how much he enjoys competing there.

"Dubai is always a great tournament" he said.

"A lot of the players have the same opinion as me. We feel very comfortable in this tournament, the site is great, the weather is fantastic and the organisers make us feel really good. I really look forward to going there."

A strong men's field looking to deny Djokovic four in a row includes top 10 players Federer, Andy Murray, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. Tomas Berdych and Mardy Fish.

In the women's competition, Wozniacki defeated Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-1, 6-3 last year to win the tournament for the first time.

Of her title defence, the women's world No 1, said: "I really love Dubai as a city and the tournament is so well run.

"They take such good care of us and it just makes playing there a much better experience."

Challenging Wozniacki for the honours in the women's event, which runs from February 20-25, are Li Na, the French Open champion, Petra Kvitova, the Wimbledon champion, and Samantha Stosur, the US Open champion.