Ons Jabeur will open her Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open campaign with a blockbuster second-round match against Emma Raducanu after the British wildcard came through her opening match in impressive style on Monday.
Raducanu, the 2021 US Open champion, recovered from a slow start against world No 36 Marie Bouzkova to claim a 6-4, 6-1 win in the last match of the day on Stadium Court at Zayed Sports City.
In a first set where both players struggled to hold serve, Raducanu found herself 2-0, 3-1, and 4-2 down but mounted a fine fightback, winning four straight games to take the set. The 21-year-old British player maintained her momentum in the second set, and after both players held serve for 1-1, she raced away with the match by winning five games in a row.
The victory, secured in one hour and 22 minutes, sets up a mouthwatering clash with Tunisian second seed Jabeur, who as one of the top four players in the draw, received a bye into the second round.
Jabeur and Raducanu have yet to meet on the WTA Tour, but the pair have played against each other at Zayed Sports City's International Tennis Centre, where in 2022 they participated in the Mubadala World Tennis Championship exhibition event.
Speaking to The National in the lead-up to the tournament, Raducanu said she was happy to be patient on her road to recovery having missed most of last season to undergo wrist and ankle surgeries. While this was only one match, her performance against Bouzkova – in particular the last 12 games – will only heighten external expectations.
The former world No 10, currently ranked 296, played with controlled aggression and power, and once she found her range and rhythm, she proved too strong for Bouzkova.
Raducanu was particularly effective on return, winning 59 per cent on first-serve return points, and 71 per cent on Bouzkova's second serve to limit her opponent to just two service holds from a possible nine. She was also efficient on break points, converting seven of nine.
This was arguably Raducanu's most complete performance of the season so far, given the quality of an opponent who reached the Wimbledon quarter-finals in 2022 and has made five WTA Tour finals, winning one.
Jabeur should represent a significant step up in challenge, although the Tunisian world No 6 has hardly had an ideal start to the season. After opting to skip the Australian Open warm-up events, Jabeur was handily beaten in the second round at Melbourne Park by teenage sensation Mirra Andreeva.
A victory for either player in Abu Dhabi would provide an encouraging statement of their progress during the early weeks of the new season.
Raducanu's victory capped a long opening day at the tournament. First up was former world No 4 Caroline Garcia from France, who surrendered a one-set lead to lose 6-7, 6-4, 6-4 to Romanian world No 26 Sorana Cirstea.
That was followed by another marathon match between Americans Bernarda Pera and Ashlyn Krueger, with Krueger taking the win 6-2, 5-7, 6-3. Brazilian sixth seed Beatriz Haddad Maia found the going easier against Chinese wild card Xiyu Wang, claiming a 6-2, 7-6 victory, but Russian seventh seed Daria Kasatkina needed more than two-and-a-half hours to defeat France’s Diane Parry 6-4, 5-7, 6-4.
Tuesday’s singles action starts at 11am on Court 1, where Czech qualifier Linda Noskova takes on Spanish lucky loser Sara Sorribes Tormo, before Filipino wild card Alexandra Eala makes her debut in Stadium Court’s opening match against Poland’s Magda Linette.
That is followed by the highly-anticipated match between Naomi Osaka and Danielle Collins, while over on Court 1 there’s an all-Chinese clash between Xinyu Wang and Lin Zhu.
British qualifier Heather Watson then faces Russian ninth seed Veronika Kudermetova, and Ukraine’s Anhelina Kalinina plays Italian lucky loser Lucia Bronzetti. The singles matches conclude with Ukrainian Lesia Tsurenko against Russian eighth seed, and last year’s finalist, Liudmila Samsonova.
There is also a doubles match not to be missed late on Court 1 as Jabeur partners with Osaka to play Chinese pair Wang and Saisai Zheng.
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Key figures in the life of the fort
Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.
Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.
Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.
Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae
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
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
UK's plans to cut net migration
Under the UK government’s proposals, migrants will have to spend 10 years in the UK before being able to apply for citizenship.
Skilled worker visas will require a university degree, and there will be tighter restrictions on recruitment for jobs with skills shortages.
But what are described as "high-contributing" individuals such as doctors and nurses could be fast-tracked through the system.
Language requirements will be increased for all immigration routes to ensure a higher level of English.
Rules will also be laid out for adult dependants, meaning they will have to demonstrate a basic understanding of the language.
The plans also call for stricter tests for colleges and universities offering places to foreign students and a reduction in the time graduates can remain in the UK after their studies from two years to 18 months.
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Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
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5 of the most-popular Airbnb locations in Dubai
Bobby Grudziecki, chief operating officer of Frank Porter, identifies the five most popular areas in Dubai for those looking to make the most out of their properties and the rates owners can secure:
• Dubai Marina
The Marina and Jumeirah Beach Residence are popular locations, says Mr Grudziecki, due to their closeness to the beach, restaurants and hotels.
Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh482 to Dh739
Two bedroom: Dh627 to Dh960
Three bedroom: Dh721 to Dh1,104
• Downtown
Within walking distance of the Dubai Mall, Burj Khalifa and the famous fountains, this location combines business and leisure. “Sure it’s for tourists,” says Mr Grudziecki. “Though Downtown [still caters to business people] because it’s close to Dubai International Financial Centre."
Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh497 to Dh772
Two bedroom: Dh646 to Dh1,003
Three bedroom: Dh743 to Dh1,154
• City Walk
The rising star of the Dubai property market, this area is lined with pristine sidewalks, boutiques and cafes and close to the new entertainment venue Coca Cola Arena. “Downtown and Marina are pretty much the same prices,” Mr Grudziecki says, “but City Walk is higher.”
Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh524 to Dh809
Two bedroom: Dh682 to Dh1,052
Three bedroom: Dh784 to Dh1,210
• Jumeirah Lake Towers
Dubai Marina’s little brother JLT resides on the other side of Sheikh Zayed road but is still close enough to beachside outlets and attractions. The big selling point for Airbnb renters, however, is that “it’s cheaper than Dubai Marina”, Mr Grudziecki says.
Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh422 to Dh629
Two bedroom: Dh549 to Dh818
Three bedroom: Dh631 to Dh941
• Palm Jumeirah
Palm Jumeirah's proximity to luxury resorts is attractive, especially for big families, says Mr Grudziecki, as Airbnb renters can secure competitive rates on one of the world’s most famous tourist destinations.
Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh503 to Dh770
Two bedroom: Dh654 to Dh1,002
Three bedroom: Dh752 to Dh1,152
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Cyber crime - This includes fraud, impersonation, scams and deepfake technology, tactics that are increasingly targeting infrastructure and exploiting human vulnerabilities.
Cyber terrorism - Social media platforms are used to spread radical ideologies, misinformation and disinformation, often with the aim of disrupting critical infrastructure such as power grids.
Cyber warfare - Shaped by geopolitical tension, hostile actors seek to infiltrate and compromise national infrastructure, using one country’s systems as a springboard to launch attacks on others.
How has net migration to UK changed?
The figure was broadly flat immediately before the Covid-19 pandemic, standing at 216,000 in the year to June 2018 and 224,000 in the year to June 2019.
It then dropped to an estimated 111,000 in the year to June 2020 when restrictions introduced during the pandemic limited travel and movement.
The total rose to 254,000 in the year to June 2021, followed by steep jumps to 634,000 in the year to June 2022 and 906,000 in the year to June 2023.
The latest available figure of 728,000 for the 12 months to June 2024 suggests levels are starting to decrease.
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