“I had the same benefits in Monte Carlo, but I prefer Dubai because it is a much more exciting city with much more life”

So says former world number one junior tennis player Kristian Pless from Denmark.

He’s one of a growing number of sports professionals who either have homes here in which they spend some time or have moved here permanently.

They give the weather, the facilities, the geographic location, the lifestyle as other reasons for choosing Dubai.

World tennis number one Roger Federer is reported to spend more time at his home in Dubai Marina than in his country of birth Switzerland.

England footballers David Beckham and Michael Owen have houses here, as do their team mates Joe Cole, Ashley Cole, Paul Scholes and Gary Neville.

Golfers South African Ernie Els, Sweden’s Henrik Stenson & Dane Thomas Bjorn plus British snooker star Peter Ebdon are just some of the sportsmen who are now based in Dubai as is former Indian Davis Cup tennis player Zeeshan Ali.

With the ICC, International Cricket Council, now based in Dubai and Sports City construction well advanced I think more and more sports stars will change their base to Dubai.

There’s an interesting article on the subject in Gulf News just here.