Dubai Tennis Championships could replace the Australian Open as a Grand Slam tournament - Dubai has the cash, is closer to Europe & the US, and understands business; Australia & Victoria has none of these advantages

 by Ganesh Sahathevan 

                                        Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum

The Dubai Tennis Championships could replace the Australian Open as a Grand Slam tournament.

Dubai has the cash, is closer to Europe and the US, and understands business. Its ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum , loves sport, and understands the business of sport.

Australia and  Victoria has none of these, and after the Novack Djokovic  debacle, has demonstrated  that the political risks at the Commonwealth and state level has come to a point where  business can no longer be certain that political risks are minimal.

Additionally, Dubai has attractions that Melbourne has never been able to match, and after two years of lockdown, probably never will. 

END