With just under three weeks left until the biggest names in tennis arrive at the International Tennis Centre in Abu Dhabi’s Zayed Sports City for the 14th Mubadala World Tennis Championship, organisers have projected the three-day match schedule on to the UAE capital’s iconic Mubadala Tower.
The opening day – on Friday December 16 – will feature three matches, starting with World No.4 Stefanos Tsitsipas taking on Britain’s No.1 male Cameron Norrie at 4pm. The second match, which will not start before 6pm, will see defending champion Andrey Rublev against Frances Tiafoe, a semi-finalist at this year’s US Open.
The women’s match will close out proceedings on Day One as Ons Jabeur, the World No. 2 Tunisian who reached two Grand Slam finals in 2022, aims to defend her MWTC title against 2021 US Open Champion and British No.1 Emma Raducanu from 8pm in what is set to be a thrilling encounter.
The Day Two action on Saturday December 17 will see the fifth place play-off kick-off proceedings at 3pm. This will be followed by World No.1 Carlos Alcaraz, making his Middle East debut, and World No.3 Casper Ruud enter the Championship at the semi-final stage. Norwegian Ruud will face the winner of Tsitsipas vs Norrie from 5pm, before Spaniard Alcaraz goes head-to-head with Tiafoe or Rublev from 7pm.
The final day of the annual Championship will feature a third-place play-off at 1pm, followed by what promises to be another memorable final at 3pm and the subsequent trophy ceremony. The earlier timings have been deliberately designed with the FIFA World Cup Final in mind, which kicks-off at 7pm in the UAE, so fans can ensure they can watch both finals.
The much-loved, family-focused Tennis Village will open at 12pm across the three days, ensuring ticket holders can make the most of the diverse food and beverage offerings, tennis clinics, Q&A sessions, and a host of tennis-themed activities.
“The draw of any championship is always an exciting moment as it gives the feeling the competition is nearing,” said John Lickrish, CEO, Flash Entertainment. “As well as the Women’s Match, which is always a great spectacle, this year’s draw has also thrown up some highly intriguing ties, with Tsitsipas and Norrie going head-to-head with an equal win rate against one another, and Tiafoe facing Rublev in what is a re-run of the US Open quarter-final. Abu Dhabi is in for a treat. I’m really excited to watch this incredible generation of tennis stars in action across the three days of the Championship.”
Tickets for the December 16-18 Championship start from AED 95 for adults and AED 45 for children and can be purchased on the event’s official website www.mubadalawtc.com. Select three-day packages offer a 20 per cent saving, guaranteeing spectators a seat for the entire championship. Premier Hospitality tickets also offer fans a premium F&B menu and courtside seating with prime viewing, while group purchases of 15 or more tickets can access a 15 per cent discount by calling 800 86 823 or emailing customerservice@ticketmaster.ae.
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