Many of the world's best tennis players will be in the UAE for the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open next week as part of the WTA Tour's Middle East swing. Here is everything you need to know about the tournament.
What is it?
The Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open is a professional tennis tournament on the WTA Tour. It is a WTA 500 event, meaning the winner will earn 500 ranking points. This year's event is the second after it became a permanent fixture on the WTA Tour calendar last year.
When is it?
The 2024 Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open will begin on Saturday, February 3, with the qualifiers and runs until the final on Sunday, February 11.
Where is it?
The tournament will take place at the International Tennis Centre at Zayed Sports City.
Who is playing?
The 2024 line-up is stacked with top players and household names. The 28-player field – of which 18 direct entries and four wildcards will be joined by six qualifiers – comprises 10 of the world's top 20 and five Grand Slam champions.
The tournament is headlined by Tunisian superstar Ons Jabeur, who will be joined by world No 5 Elena Rybakina, ninth-ranked Maria Sakkari and four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka, who along with Emma Raducanu, accepted a wildcard.
The 20 players so far confirmed for direct entry into the main draw are:
Elena Rybakina (Kazakhstan), Ons Jabeur (Tunisia), Maria Sakkari (Greece), Barbora Krejcikova (Czech Republic), Beatriz Haddad Maia (Brazil), Jelena Ostapenko (Latvia) , Caroline Garcia (France) , Magda Linette (Poland) , Sorana Cirstea (Romania), Anhelina Kalinina (Ukraine), Jasmine Paolini (Italy) , Lesia Tsurenko (Ukraine), Emma Navarro (USA), Liudmila Samsonova, Daria Kasatkina , Anastasia Potapova, Veronika Kudermetova, Naomi Osaka (Japan, wildcard), Emma Raducanu (Great Britain, wildcard), Alexandra Eala (Philippines, wildcard)
Additionally, Saudi Arabia's first professional female tennis player, Yara Alhogbani, has been granted a wildcard for the qualifiers.
What is the schedule?
Saturday, February 3: Qualifiers
Sunday, February 4: Qualifiers
Monday, February 5: First round (Round of 32)
Tuesday, February 6: First round (Round of 32)
Wednesday, February 7: Second round (Round of 16)
Thursday, February 8: Second round (Round of 16)
Friday, February 9: Quarter-finals
Saturday, February 10: Semi-finals
Sunday, February 11: Final
Are tickets available?
Tickets for the tournament are available in three categories: Regular (Category 2), Premium (Category 1), and Courtside. Ticket prices based on each round and tier:
Saturday and Sunday qualifying: Regular (free), Premium (free), Courtside (free)
Monday and Tuesday first round: Regular (Dh25 for adults, free for children), Premium (Dh50 for adults, free for children), Courtside (Dh95 for adults and children)
Wednesday and Thursday second round: Regular (Dh25 for adults, free for children), Premium (Dh50 for adults, free for children), Courtside (Dh95 for adults and children)
Friday quarter-finals: Regular (Dh50 for adults, Dh25 for children), Premium (Dh155 for adults, Dh50 for children), Courtside (Dh595 for adults and children)
Saturday semi-finals: Regular (Dh65 for adults, Dh25 for children), Premium (Dh165 for adults, Dh75 for children), Courtside (Dh695 for adults and children)
Sunday final: Regular (Dh75 for adults, Dh25 for children), Premium (Dh175 for adults, Dh85 for children), Courtside (Dh695 for adults and children)
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit: https://www.mubadalaabudhabiopen.com/tickets.
Is the tournament on TV?
For those unable to attend the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open, the tournament will be broadcast live on Abu Dhabi TV.
How to register as a donor
1) Organ donors can register on the Hayat app, run by the Ministry of Health and Prevention
2) There are about 11,000 patients in the country in need of organ transplants
3) People must be over 21. Emiratis and residents can register.
4) The campaign uses the hashtag #donate_hope
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Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
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*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
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Director: Mudassar Aziz
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Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
Jewel of the Expo 2020
252 projectors installed on Al Wasl dome
13.6km of steel used in the structure that makes it equal in length to 16 Burj Khalifas
550 tonnes of moulded steel were raised last year to cap the dome
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Tailors and retailers miss out on back-to-school rush
Tailors and retailers across the city said it was an ominous start to what is usually a busy season for sales.
With many parents opting to continue home learning for their children, the usual rush to buy school uniforms was muted this year.
“So far we have taken about 70 to 80 orders for items like shirts and trousers,” said Vikram Attrai, manager at Stallion Bespoke Tailors in Dubai.
“Last year in the same period we had about 200 orders and lots of demand.
“We custom fit uniform pieces and use materials such as cotton, wool and cashmere.
“Depending on size, a white shirt with logo is priced at about Dh100 to Dh150 and shorts, trousers, skirts and dresses cost between Dh150 to Dh250 a piece.”
A spokesman for Threads, a uniform shop based in Times Square Centre Dubai, said customer footfall had slowed down dramatically over the past few months.
“Now parents have the option to keep children doing online learning they don’t need uniforms so it has quietened down.”
The Bio
Favourite place in UAE: Al Rams pearling village
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Best time to swim in the sea: When there is enough light to see beneath the surface
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