Dubai tournament director Colm McLoughlin announces that the men’s and women’s events will stay at the current venue for at least the next three years. Center court at the Dubai Tennis Stadium has a current seating capacity of 5,000.
"When we were in discussions with the WTA and the ATP officials, it was their request that we get a 7,500-seat centre court. So accordingly, we set about trying to get a new location. But at the moment this facility is good enough for both the weeks," McLoughlin said.
The tournament has discussed moving to the tennis center in Dubai Sports City or constructing its own facility elsewhere.
"Things have changed since then. Everybody who we surveyed and spoke to said please don't move from the venue you have. It's very friendly, we are close to the players and generally the consensus is that it is a favorite venue for everyone," said McLoughlin, who added they may try and add 1,000 more seats next year. "We thought we would be spoiling those things if we moved immediately. So we spoke to the WTA and the ATP and our decision is that we will remain here for the foreseeable future."—Matthew Cronin