Since 2009, Abu Dhabi has brought the world’s top ATP players each winter to Zayed Sports City to give the capital a taste of top-tier tennis.
Superstars such as Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic have all made multiple appearances at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship (MWTC) – a three-day exhibition that had become a popular fixture on the UAE sports calendar. Its last three editions also featured a women’s match that brought the Williams sisters and Maria Sharapova to the emirate.
The coronavirus pandemic led to the cancellation of the MWTC this year. But in a surprise announcement this week, Abu Dhabi Sports Council confirmed a fully-fledged WTA tournament will take place in Abu Dhabi for the first time next month, with 64 of the world's best women's players set to descend on the International Tennis Centre for the opening week of the 2021 season.
World No 4 and reigning Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin will headline the field, which also includes Ukrainian world No 5 Elina Svitolina, No 6 Karolina Pliskova, No 10 Aryna Sabalenka, No 12 Belinda Bencic, two-time Grand Slam champion and world No 15 Garbine Muguruza, and American sensation Coco Gauff. Tunisian star Ons Jabeur will also compete.
A cloud of uncertainty has surrounded both the men’s and women’s tennis tours and the calendars for the first seven weeks of the new season were announced just a few days ago.
The pandemic continues to wreak havoc with the schedule, and with travel restrictions still in place and events still being cancelled worldwide, the UAE has emerged as a safe haven for the sport and its players.
Head to any tennis court in Dubai right now and you can spot the likes of Federer, Bianca Andreescu, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Karen Khachanov and many more practicing and getting ready for 2021.
The UAE has long been a popular pre-season destination for players and Dubai has hosted an ATP tournament since 1993, and a WTA one since 2001. But this year the country’s role in international tennis has become even more important with Abu Dhabi providing a secure environment for the start of the women’s tour and Dubai playing host to the Australian Open women’s qualifying rounds from January 10-13.
"I think the UAE is an amazing place that it kept itself so organised in terms of virus control and kept the country so safe and that's why you have these events happening in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. This is only because of the country and how safe it is and how open it is about bringing people to come and play out here," Bharat Godkhindi, the tournament director of the Abu Dhabi WTA Women's Tennis Open, told The National.
I think the UAE is an amazing place that it kept itself so organised in terms of virus control and kept the country so safe and that's why you have these events happening in Dubai and Abu Dhabi
For the first time in its history the qualifying rounds of the Australian Open will take place outside Australia. Players heading Down Under for the opening Grand Slam of the season will board chartered flights provided by Tennis Australia from three locations – Dubai, Singapore and Los Angeles – which explains why so many players are already in the emirate.
We are living in difficult times but it’s been heartening to see how everyone is banding together in order to keep the sport viable and make this work.
Players will compete in one continent for qualifying spots in a main draw of a tournament taking place in a different continent. In Australia, players have committed to pair up in twos for their practice sessions during quarantine, and can only hit with the person they signed up for. The tournament in Abu Dhabi is being run by Godkhindi’s BrandPlus Inc in collaboration with the ADSC and the WTA, who is footing the bill to provide working opportunities for its players.
“We have no sponsors. The only sponsor is WTA right now. This is not being played for commercial reasons, it’s being played to give players jobs. The WTA have been very, very considerate and they’re thinking a lot about the players,” Godkhindi says.
“The ladies who rely on this for their income haven’t had jobs for a long time. This is a 500-level tournament with a 64 draw, because we wanted more players to play so everyone gets some money.
“Prize money is coming from the WTA. Abu Dhabi Sports Council have been a huge support; they’re supporting us in a big way, with the venue, with the visas, with allowing exceptions for players to come and play. Without them this couldn’t have happened, they’ve been amazing.”
There will be no spectators at either event but Sigi Meeuws, director of ZSC Academy, believes it will be a great experience for all involved.
“It is truly fantastic to be hosting this event as an inspiration for all junior tennis players in Abu Dhabi." Meeuws said. "It will be an especially great experience also for the ball kids who will support 64 of the best players in the world."
The advantage ZSC has is that there is plenty of open space surrounding the tennis complex, including a large rugby field that could be utilised by the players and their teams.
For now, the Abu Dhabi tournament is a one-off, coming to the rescue at a challenging time for the sport. The city has long voiced its intention to host a top-level official tournament but no commitments are being made at this time.
“The WTA calendar is pretty full on a normal year, and we’ve been lucky to have this,” Godkhindi explained. “Of course we want to - I do want to have an event in Abu Dhabi - but I’m not sure whether we can get it. It’s a long way away, we still have to survive 2021 with all the problems we have in the world.”
SPECS
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ATP WORLD No 1
2004 Roger Federer
2005 Roger Federer
2006 Roger Federer
2007 Roger Federer
2008 Rafael Nadal
2009 Roger Federer
2010 Rafael Nadal
2011 Novak Djokovic
2012 Novak Djokovic
2013 Rafael Nadal
2014 Novak Djokovic
2015 Novak Djokovic
2016 Andy Murray
2017 Rafael Nadal
2018 Novak Djokovic
2019 Rafael Nadal
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
The%20Roundup
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Lee%20Sang-yong%3Cbr%3EStars%3A%20Ma%20Dong-seok%2C%20Sukku%20Son%2C%20Choi%20Gwi-hwa%3Cbr%3ERating%3A%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
First Person
Richard Flanagan
Chatto & Windus
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
THREE POSSIBLE REPLACEMENTS
Khalfan Mubarak
The Al Jazira playmaker has for some time been tipped for stardom within UAE football, with Quique Sanchez Flores, his former manager at Al Ahli, once labelling him a “genius”. He was only 17. Now 23, Mubarak has developed into a crafty supplier of chances, evidenced by his seven assists in six league matches this season. Still to display his class at international level, though.
Rayan Yaslam
The Al Ain attacking midfielder has become a regular starter for his club in the past 15 months. Yaslam, 23, is a tidy and intelligent player, technically proficient with an eye for opening up defences. Developed while alongside Abdulrahman in the Al Ain first-team and has progressed well since manager Zoran Mamic’s arrival. However, made his UAE debut only last December.
Ismail Matar
The Al Wahda forward is revered by teammates and a key contributor to the squad. At 35, his best days are behind him, but Matar is incredibly experienced and an example to his colleagues. His ability to cope with tournament football is a concern, though, despite Matar beginning the season well. Not a like-for-like replacement, although the system could be adjusted to suit.
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENamara%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJune%202022%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMohammed%20Alnamara%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMicrofinance%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E16%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeries%20A%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFamily%20offices%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Company profile
Name: Thndr
Started: October 2020
Founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: FinTech
Initial investment: pre-seed of $800,000
Funding stage: series A; $20 million
Investors: Tiger Global, Beco Capital, Prosus Ventures, Y Combinator, Global Ventures, Abdul Latif Jameel, Endure Capital, 4DX Ventures, Plus VC, Rabacap and MSA Capital
STAY%2C%20DAUGHTER
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
THE BIG THREE
NOVAK DJOKOVIC
19 grand slam singles titles
Wimbledon: 5 (2011, 14, 15, 18, 19)
French Open: 2 (2016, 21)
US Open: 3 (2011, 15, 18)
Australian Open: 9 (2008, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21)
Prize money: $150m
ROGER FEDERER
20 grand slam singles titles
Wimbledon: 8 (2003, 04, 05, 06, 07, 09, 12, 17)
French Open: 1 (2009)
US Open: 5 (2004, 05, 06, 07, 08)
Australian Open: 6 (2004, 06, 07, 10, 17, 18)
Prize money: $130m
RAFAEL NADAL
20 grand slam singles titles
Wimbledon: 2 (2008, 10)
French Open: 13 (2005, 06, 07, 08, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20)
US Open: 4 (2010, 13, 17, 19)
Australian Open: 1 (2009)
Prize money: $125m
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Why it pays to compare
A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.
Route 1: bank transfer
The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.
Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount
Total received: €4,670.30
Route 2: online platform
The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.
Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction
Total received: €4,756
The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.
UAE%20Warriors%2033%20Results
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The biog
DOB: March 13, 1987
Place of birth: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia but lived in Virginia in the US and raised in Lebanon
School: ACS in Lebanon
University: BSA in Graphic Design at the American University of Beirut
MSA in Design Entrepreneurship at the School of Visual Arts in New York City
Nationality: Lebanese
Status: Single
Favourite thing to do: I really enjoy cycling, I was a participant in Cycling for Gaza for the second time this year
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
