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Other tennis tournaments have allowed Russian and Belarusian players to compete as neutral athletes
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From Mexico with love: Dubai Duty Free Tennis is No.1 says Alicia Silva
With no Mexican player in the draw, Alicia was here to cheer Alexander Zverev, who lost in the semifinals
Mexican fan Alicia Silva. — Photo by Leslie Wilson Jr
Alicia Silva is holidaying in Dubai where she hopes to spend some quality time with her two daughters, who live and work in the Emirate.
However, that’s not the only reason that has brought the Mexico City native to these shores — she’s also here to watch the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.
“I’m a huge tennis fan and I am a regular at the Mexican Open at Acapulco,” she said just before going on to the stands of Centre Court. “I’ve been to quite a few other tournaments as well, but this has to be top of the list.
“What a delightful event it is. There’s something about it that makes any visitor feel so at home. I’m not sure what it is, perhaps a combination of many things.
“The friendly faces, the easy access to getting a ticket, the stadium. All of this,” adds Alicia.
With no Mexican player in the draw, who is she here to cheer for?
“Mexico has some good players like Santiago González and Fernanda Gomez, but they are not playing here,” said Alicia. “But I’m here to cheer Alexander Zverev!
“I know he’s not Mexican, he’s German, and that he did a bad thing at the Mexican Open in Acapulco when he smashed his racquet. It happens sometimes. They have so much adrenalin flowing in their veins.
“Actually he’s a really nice guy. I’ve been his fan for quite a while and I’m here to watch him and cheer for him. Unfortunately, he was beaten by Andrey Rublev in the semis, I think it was his first loss to the Russian. But that does not change things. He’s still my No 1 player,” Alicia added.
“And Dubai is my No.1 tennis tournament!"
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