Radwanska cruises along the Dubai Canal

Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships tournament fourth seed Agnieszka Radwanska took some time out on Tuesday to take a trip along the new Dubai Canal. Radwanska, the world No 6 and 2012 Dubai champion, toured part of the 3.2km waterway that was opened in November 2016 in a luxury water taxi operated by Excellence Limos. The Polish player marvelled at the waterfall, lit with bright pink lights, where the Canal meets the Shaikh Zayed Road bridge.

Last week, Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) announced traditional abras are now available for a ride on the Dubai Canal.

Catering mainly to tourists, the 20-seater abras will be available from the Shaikh Zayed Road station at Dh25 per ride per person. The abras will also be available for chartering at Dh300 per hour.

“The traditional abra, which would be available on demand, has a capacity to accommodate 20 riders, with a minimum eight riders required for a trip and [it] ferries them on a journey that starts from the Shaikh Zayed Road station,” Abdullah Yousuf Al Ali, CEO of RTA’s Public Transport Agency.

Radwanska told Gulf News this week that she may have to put her long-standing dream of being world No 1 on the back burner, especially if the Williams sisters continue to display their current form.

The 27-year-old, who has set a goal of winning a Grand Slam and becoming number one, was all praise for the resilience shown by Serena and Venus Williams.

“If Serena is on fire, then of course, the number one is her. She is definitely playing amazing tennis again. She is not playing much of the tournaments, so it’s hard to expect what she is going to do. But if she is there and playing her best it is tough [to beat her]. What she achieved in the Australian Open was unbelievable and she really deserved it. She played some amazing tennis,” she said.

For tickets, go to dubaidutyfreetennischampionships.com.