The legends of the court were treated to a taste of Arabia at the Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships players' party this week. Glittering fairy lights adorned the open-air venue near the stadium, with chefs cooking up traditional grilled meats and dishes on Tuesday night.
Richard Gasquet made a brief appearance as did Mikhail Youzhny, both of whom had matches the next day.
Arabic tradition
Camels greeted the players and traditional Arabic music played in the background as Andy Murray, Fabrice Santoro, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic arrived to feast on the large spread.
The stars were joined by tournament director Salah Tahlak as well as Dubai Duty Free's Managing Director Colm McLoughlin, Marketing Manager Sinead El Sibai and Operations Manager Sean Staunton.
Fabrice Santoro wasn't the only magician present. Wowing the stars with his flying credit cards and disappearing cigarettes, the professional magician on-hand had some competition from Djokovic, who even tried a trick of his own.
Wall of Fame
Murray couldn't believe his eyes as the magician managed to catch a friend's ring on the end of a burning cigarette, without him even noticing.
Murray also left a permanent mark on Dubai, by setting his hands in a cast for the stadium's wall of fame, which will be mounted in the Majlis room.
Some came in their tennis gear, even carrying their tennis racquets, while others dressed up for the occasion in smart-casual shirts and jeans.
Many of the players enjoyed holding the falcon and were captivated by the belly dancer, who gave a glittering performance between rock music sets by the Red Bullets.
