Tennis stars hit Arabian heights

WORLD No 1 Roger Federer and former No 1 Andre Agassi took tennis to new heights yesterday, ascending nearly 700ft to play a friendly match on the helipad at Dubai’s luxurious Burj Al Arab hotel.

“This was an absolutely amazing experience,” Agassi said.

“When you get over how high you are and start playing it’s an absolute joy and it was a great time. I had no issues with the height as long as I didn’t have to bungee jump off the side.”

The hotel’s grass helipad, which is situated 692ft above the ground, covers a surface area of 1,361 sq ft, and was converted into a tennis court for the two players. Standing 1,053ft high on a man-made island, the majestic Burj Al Arab is one of the most recognisable hotels in the world.

“The view is absolutely amazing here and it was very different when I was asked to do this as I didn’t know what to expect,” Federer said.

“I have been in Dubai many times and have stayed at Burj Al Arab before, but this was an absolute treat. To play tennis with Andre on top of such an amazing hotel and overlooking the whole of Dubai was absolutely spectacular.”

Both players are in town for the ATP’s Dubai Duty Free Men’s Open, a $1 million (€755,000) International Series Gold event.

Federer is the reigning champion and is making his third appearance in the tournament, while Agassi is playing an ATP tournament in the Middle East for the first time.

It’s not the first time the hotel has extended such courtesy to guests. Last year Tiger Woods used the roof as his own private driving range.