Having opened its doors to the world’s sporting fraternity and the Qatari people in late 1992 the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex is a sports centre the likes of which is yet to be seen anywhere else in Doha. Operated and managed by the prestigious Qatar Tennis Federation the state-of-the-art sports complex opened its courts with the first ever Qatar Open in January, ’93 with some of the world’s greatest athletes gracing the event. As the venue of choice for the ATP World Tour’s Middle Eastern phase also known as the Qatar ExxonMobil Open the locale also plays host to the who’s who in the game of tennis at the year concluding WTA Tour Championships which was completed at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex in the years 2008,2009 and 2010.
With world-class players taking to its courts, the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex is a preferred haunt for tennis lovers each year as the very first event the venue hosted saw tennis legend Boris Becker take home the grand prize. Then world number one Roger Federer also defeated Gael Monfils in 2006 to enter the record books as the second player to have successfully defended the Qatar title with Stefan Edberg as the first to do so more than a decade earlier. Home to an impressive 27 hard courts the locale’s top-notch stadium court can accommodate a record 6,911 spectators as of 2008 when the sporting facility was revamped to meet WTA Championship prerequisites. Centre Court on the other hand can seat 4,106 viewers and is one of the highlights of a tour of the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex. The sporting arena’s other assets include its 8 new training courts and four ultra contemporary squash courts which are all equipped with new media and player hospitality facilities as well as seating space for 1000 representatives. Aspiring novices and pros who wish to test run the venue’s facilities can book a court in advance while lessons in the two main disciplines are also available with the aid of expert coaches.
Travellers in search of a luxury hotel in Doha will be more than pleased with the Millennium Hotel Doha. Ideally situated in a strategic location this Doha hotel pulls out all the stops when it comes to vacationing in this desert holiday capital.
