Casper Ruud said his time in Abu Dhabi has given him a "good indication" of the state of his game ahead of the new season after claiming third place at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship.
The Norwegian world No 3 claimed a comfortable 6-1, 6-4 win over Spanish world No 1 Carlos Alcaraz in the third-place playoff on Sunday.
Both players, who most recently met in the US Open final in September, arrived in the UAE following limited pre-seasons so far. Ruud had been on a tour with Rafael Nadal of Latin America and enjoyed a one-week holiday prior to MWTC, while Alcaraz has been making his way back from the abdominal injury which cut his season short at the start of November.
It was clear from the start of the match that Ruud was the sharper player who had spent more time on a court in recent weeks as the Norwegian raced into a one-set lead after just 26 minutes.
Alcaraz was much-improved in the second set but surrendered his serve in the ninth game, allowing Ruud to close out a comfortable victory.
“One tough match which didn't go my way and I got a win against a good player," Ruud, 23, said, assessing his time at MWTC having lost his semi-final on Saturday to Stefanos Tsitsipas. "Of course, Carlos had a little bit of a tough end to the year, was struggling little bit with injury and has played a lot better than he did today.
"But for me, it gives me quite a good indication. After yesterday, I thought I was quite far behind but after today maybe I’m a bit further ahead than I thought and if I’m playing well I can beat good players. I’ve had some really good days of practice which is the most important thing to get ready for next year, so I’m happy to start my pre-season in Abu Dhabi and for sure got what I wanted from this trip."
For Alcaraz, MWTC was the first event he participated in since retiring from the Paris Masters quarter-finals six weeks ago, drawing the curtain on a historic season which saw him win five titles and become the youngest world No 1 in ATP Tour history.
However, his lack of recent tennis showed during his two matches in Abu Dhabi, having lost in straight sets to Andrey Rublev in his semi-final on Saturday, but the Spanish teenager believes it will all help in his goal to return to full fitness in time for the Australian Open.
"In the process of practice, I have been working to recover my level and feel more comfortable on court," the 19-year-old Spaniard said. "That's the aim, to try and feel more comfortable on court."
World Mental Health Day
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Tomorrow 2021
Ads on social media can 'normalise' drugs
A UK report on youth social media habits commissioned by advocacy group Volteface found a quarter of young people were exposed to illegal drug dealers on social media.
The poll of 2,006 people aged 16-24 assessed their exposure to drug dealers online in a nationally representative survey.
Of those admitting to seeing drugs for sale online, 56 per cent saw them advertised on Snapchat, 55 per cent on Instagram and 47 per cent on Facebook.
Cannabis was the drug most pushed by online dealers, with 63 per cent of survey respondents claiming to have seen adverts on social media for the drug, followed by cocaine (26 per cent) and MDMA/ecstasy, with 24 per cent of people.
Neighbourhood Watch
Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
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Starring: Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Maia Kealoha, Chris Sanders
Director: Dean Fleischer Camp
Rating: 4.5/5
World Mental Health Day
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
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- 600-seat auditorium
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Otamendi (52) Sterling (59) Stones (67) Brahim Diaz (81)
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Abu Dhabi traffic facts
Drivers in Abu Dhabi spend 10 per cent longer in congested conditions than they would on a free-flowing road
The highest volume of traffic on the roads is found between 7am and 8am on a Sunday.
Travelling before 7am on a Sunday could save up to four hours per year on a 30-minute commute.
The day was the least congestion in Abu Dhabi in 2019 was Tuesday, August 13.
The highest levels of traffic were found on Sunday, November 10.
Drivers in Abu Dhabi lost 41 hours spent in traffic jams in rush hour during 2019
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The Penguin
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Company%20profile
COMPANY PROFILE
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THE BIO
BIO:
Born in RAK on December 9, 1983
Lives in Abu Dhabi with her family
She graduated from Emirates University in 2007 with a BA in architectural engineering
Her motto in life is her grandmother’s saying “That who created you will not have you get lost”
Her ambition is to spread UAE’s culture of love and acceptance through serving coffee, the country’s traditional coffee in particular.
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The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
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The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
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• Could the UAE drive India's economy?
• News has a bright future and the UAE is at the heart of it
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The details
Colette
Director: Wash Westmoreland
Starring: Keira Knightley, Dominic West
Our take: 3/5
