# UAE Royals

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> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UAE_Royals
> Source revision: 1307891770
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{{short description|Former tennis team in Dubai}}
{{About|a former tennis team in Dubai|royal families in the UAE|Royal families of the United Arab Emirates}}
{{Infobox sports team
|team              = UAE Royals
|logo              = UAE Royals International Premier Tennis League Team logo.png
|pixels            = 140px
|sport             = Team tennis
|founded           = {{start date|2014}}
|current           = 2015 UAE Royals season
|folded            = 2016
|league            = [International Premier Tennis League](/source/International_Premier_Tennis_League)
|division          = 
|history           = 2014–2016
|arena             = 
|ballpark          =
|stadium           = [Dubai Duty Free Stadium](/source/Aviation_Club_Tennis_Centre)
|city              = [Dubai](/source/Dubai), [United Arab Emirates](/source/United_Arab_Emirates)
|colors            = Black, Red, Green, Metallic Gold
{{Color box|#000000}} {{Color box|#FF0000}} {{Color box|green}} {{Color box|#D4AF37}}
|owner             = Neelesh Bhatanagar, [Sachin Gadoya](/source/Sachin_Gadoya) and [Virat Kohli](/source/Virat_Kohli)
|gm                = 
|coach             = [John-Laffnie de Jager](/source/John-Laffnie_de_Jager)
|championships     = 
|division_titles   = 
|playoff_berths    = 
|cheerleaders      = 
|dancers           =
|mascot            =
|broadcasters      = [Abu Dhabi Media](/source/Abu_Dhabi_Media)
|media             = 
|website           = {{URL|www.uaeroyals.com}}
}}

The '''UAE Royals''' were a [tennis](/source/tennis) team based in [Dubai](/source/Dubai), [United Arab Emirates](/source/United_Arab_Emirates) that competed in the [International Premier Tennis League](/source/International_Premier_Tennis_League) (IPTL) from its inception in 2014 until the league's final season in 2016. It is one of four charter franchises that participated in the IPTL's inaugural [2014 season](/source/2014_International_Premier_Tennis_League_season) where it finished as runners-up. The team started its 2015 season with marquee signings in [Roger Federer](/source/Roger_Federer) and [Ana Ivanovic](/source/Ana_Ivanovic).

==Team history==

===Founding of franchise===
On 21 January 2014, IPTL announced that one of the charter franchises for the league's inaugural [2014 season](/source/2014_International_Premier_Tennis_League_season) would be based in the Middle East.<ref>{{cite web|title=Mahesh Bhupathi Launched IPTL in Melbourne|url=http://www.jagranjosh.com/current-affairs/mahesh-bhupathi-launched-iptl-in-melbourne-1390393112-1|date=22 January 2014|website=Jagran Josh|access-date=17 November 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Mumbai One of the Franchises in Cash-Rich International Premier Tennis League|url=http://ibnlive.in.com/news/mumbai-one-of-the-franchises-in-cashrich-international-premier-tennis-league/446899-5-22.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140121203843/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/mumbai-one-of-the-franchises-in-cashrich-international-premier-tennis-league/446899-5-22.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=21 January 2014|date=21 January 2014|website=[CNN IBN Live](/source/CNN-IBN)|access-date=17 November 2014}}</ref> On 2 March 2014, IPTL revealed that the Middle East franchise would play its home matches in [Dubai](/source/Dubai), [United Arab Emirates](/source/United_Arab_Emirates).<ref name=draft>{{cite web|last1=Briggs|first1=Simon|title=Andy Murray Signs for Bangkok As Premier Tennis League Prepares for Take-Off|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/tennis/andymurray/10671811/Andy-Murray-signs-for-Bangkok-as-Premier-Tennis-League-prepares-for-take-off.html|date=2 March 2014|website=[The Telegraph](/source/Telegraph_Media_Group)|access-date=18 November 2014}}</ref> The team is owned by Neelesh Bhatnagar,<ref>{{Cite web|title = Roger Federer joins UAE Royals in IPTL {{!}} News {{!}} Philippine Mavericks {{!}} Philstar.com|url = http://www.philstar.com/sports/tennis/philippinemavericks/news/2015/09/11/1498564/roger-federer-joins-uae-royals-iptl|website = philstar.com|access-date = 2015-09-21}}</ref> a leading Dubai-based businessman, and Sachin Gadoya, managing director of Musafir.com, an [Internet](/source/Internet)-based [travel agency](/source/travel_agency). Indian cricketer [Virat Kohli](/source/Virat_Kohli) was also introduced as the co-owner of the franchise on September 10, 2015.<ref>{{cite press release|url=http://www.iptlworld.com/pdf/IPTL-Owners%20announced.pdf|title=Get Together at Wimbledon with Announcement of Team Owners for India, Singapore, Manila and UAE|publisher=[International Premier Tennis League](/source/International_Premier_Tennis_League)|date=19 June 2014|access-date=24 November 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129062829/http://www.iptlworld.com/pdf/IPTL-Owners%20announced.pdf|archive-date=29 November 2014}}</ref><ref name=dubaiintroduction>{{cite web|last1=Ousman|first1=Allaam|title=Djokovic Leads UAE Royals at Inaugural IPTL: Dubai Will Host Finale of $1 Million Tournament from December 11–13|url=http://www.emirates247.com/sports/local/djokovic-leads-uae-royals-at-inaugural-iptl-2014-06-25-1.554192|date=25 June 2014|website=[Emirates 24/7](/source/Emirates_24%2F7)|access-date=19 November 2014}}</ref>

===Inaugural draft===
The Dubai franchise participated in the IPTL inaugural draft on 2 March 2014, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Players selected by Dubai were<ref name="draft"/>

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left"
!style="background:black; color:#D4AF37" width="350px"| Player
!style="background:black; color:#D4AF37" width="150px"| IPTL Category
|-
| colspan=2; style="text-align:center; background:#89CFF0" | Men
|-
| {{flagicon|SRB}} [Novak Djokovic](/source/Novak_Djokovic) ({{langx|sr|Новак Ђоковић}}) || Icon players
|-
| {{flagicon|SRB}} [Janko Tipsarević](/source/Janko_Tipsarevi%C4%87) ({{langx|sr|Јанко Типсаревић}}) || Category D
|-
| {{flagicon|CRO}} [Goran Ivanišević](/source/Goran_Ivani%C5%A1evi%C4%87) || Past champions
|-
| {{flagicon|SRB}} [Nenad Zimonjić](/source/Nenad_Zimonji%C4%87) ({{langx|sr|Ненад Зимоњић}}) || Doubles players
|-
| {{flagicon|TUN}} [Malek Jaziri](/source/Malek_Jaziri) ({{langx|ar|مالك الجزيري}}) || Uncategorized
|-
| colspan=2; style="text-align:center; background:pink" | Women
|-
| {{flagicon|DEN}} [Caroline Wozniacki](/source/Caroline_Wozniacki) || Icon players
|-
| {{flagicon|SUI}} [Martina Hingis](/source/Martina_Hingis) || Category C
|}

===Team name===
By May 2014, the team was being referred to as the '''UAE Falcons'''.<ref name=originalnames>{{cite web|title=Bhupathi's IPTL Opener Moved to Manila from Bangkok|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/tennis/top-stories/Bhupathis-IPTL-opener-moved-to-Manila-from-Bangkok/articleshow/34930784.cms|date=10 May 2014|website=[The Times of India](/source/The_Times_of_India)|access-date=19 November 2014}}</ref> By June 2014, the Falcons had become known as the UAE Royals.<ref name=dubaiintroduction />

===Home venue===
The UAE Royals will play their home matches at the Dubai Duty Free Stadium<ref>{{Cite web|title = Roger Federer Joins UAE Royals for 2015 International Tennis Premier League|url = http://sports.ndtv.com/tennis/news/248365-roger-federer-joins-uae-royals-for-2015-international-tennis-premier-league|website = NDTVSports.com|access-date = 2015-09-21|first = Indo-Asian News|last = Service|archive-date = 2016-11-16|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20161116101249/http://sports.ndtv.com/tennis/news/248365-roger-federer-joins-uae-royals-for-2015-international-tennis-premier-league|url-status = dead}}</ref> for the 2015 season. The team played their home matches at the [Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Sports Complex](/source/Hamdan_Sports_Complex)<ref name=dubaiintroduction /> during the first season of the league.

===First coach===
On 27 October 2014, [John-Laffnie de Jager](/source/John-Laffnie_de_Jager) was named the Royals' first coach.<ref>{{cite web|title=International Premier Tennis League Announces Coaches for Inaugural Edition|url=http://spicystarsmumbai.com/international-premier-tennis-league-announces-team-coaches-for-inaugural-edition.html|website=Spicy Stars Mumbai|date=28 October 2014|access-date=24 November 2014}}</ref>

===Inaugural season===
{{Main|2014 UAE Royals season}}
The Royals opened their inaugural season with a road match on 28 November 2014, against the [Manila Mavericks](/source/Manila_Mavericks) in [Pasay](/source/Pasay), [Metropolitan Manila](/source/Metro_Manila), [Philippines](/source/Philippines). It played its first home match on 11 December 2014, also against the Mavericks.<ref>{{cite web|title=Schedule|url=http://www.iptlworld.com/schedule.html|website=[International Premier Tennis League](/source/International_Premier_Tennis_League)|access-date=24 November 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141123102308/http://www.iptlworld.com/schedule.html|archive-date=23 November 2014}}</ref>

==Television coverage==
On 22 August 2014, IPTL announced it had reached an agreement for the Middle East and North Africa television broadcasting rights with [Abu Dhabi Media](/source/Abu_Dhabi_Media).<ref>{{cite web|last1=Gomes|first1=Alaric|title=Eugenie Bouchard Joins the Dubai Bandwagon|url=http://gulfnews.com/sport/tennis/eugenie-bouchard-joins-the-dubai-bandwagon-1.1375263|date=22 August 2014|website=[Gulf News](/source/Gulf_News)|access-date=24 November 2014}}</ref> The rights continue with Abu Dhabi Media for 2015 season.

==Former roster==
{| class="wikitable"
! Player
|-
|{{flagicon|SUI}} [Martina Hingis](/source/Martina_Hingis)
|-
|{{flagicon|SRB}} [Ana Ivanovic](/source/Ana_Ivanovic)
|-
|{{flagicon|CRO}} [Marin Čilić](/source/Marin_%C4%8Cili%C4%87)
|-
|{{flagicon|CRO}} [Goran Ivanišević](/source/Goran_Ivani%C5%A1evi%C4%87)
|-
|{{flagicon|CZE}} [Tomáš Berdych](/source/Tom%C3%A1%C5%A1_Berdych)
|-
|{{flagicon|CAN}} [Daniel Nestor](/source/Daniel_Nestor)
|-
|{{flagicon|FRA}} [Kristina Mladenovic](/source/Kristina_Mladenovic)
|}
*

{{Portal|Tennis|United Arab Emirates|United Arab Emirates}}

==References==
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==External links==
* {{official website}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20140928082307/http://www.iptlworld.com/ International Premier Tennis League official website]

{{IPTL}}

Category:International Premier Tennis League teams
Royals
Category:Sports clubs and teams established in 2014
Category:2014 establishments in the United Arab Emirates
*

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [UAE Royals](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UAE_Royals) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UAE_Royals?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.