Nadal, Federer continue rivalry in Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi: The Mubadala World Tennis Championship at the Abu Dhabi International Tennis Complex will once again be the venue when the world's top two players — Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer — continue their great rivalry as yet another tennis season starts.

If the 6-player, $250,000 (Dh918,100) winner-takes-all event plays to form, one of sport's greatest rivalries will be played out in Abu Dhabi on New Year's day.

Less than two weeks ago Federer ended the 2010 ATP season in London with a 6-3 3-6 6-1 win over world number one, Nadal. Fans will be hoping for the two champions to make it to the final.

Draw

Yesterday's draw unveiled by Greg Sproule representing Event Manager IMG, Cypriot star Marcos Baghdatis takes on world number six and 2010 Wimbledon finalist Tomas Berdych while Swedish world number five and 2010 French Open Finalist Robin Soderling takes on Frenchman Jo-Wilfred Tsonga on December 30.

Nadal plays the winner of Baghdatis and Berdych in one semifinal while Federer meets the winner of the Soderling-Tsonga match on December 31 with the final scheduled for January 1.

John Lickrish, Managing Director of the tournament organiser, Flash Entertainment said; "Considering every player has starred in or won at least one Grand-Slam final, the line-up in Abu Dhabi for the Mubadala World Tennis Championship is fitting of the final stages of any Grand-Slam tournament"

One-up

Sproule said, "With Baghdatis and Berdych having won two matches apiece in their four career meetings, their opening match here will give them a chance to go one-up on the other."

"Soderling and Tsonga, two of the most powerful players in tennis, are likely to be involved in an entertaining second match on the opening day with Soderling eyeing another semifinal meeting with Federer here," said Sproule.

RESULTS

Mubadala World Tennis Championship

US$ 250,000 (Winner Takes All)

Venue: Abu Dhabi International Tennis Complex

The draw (World ranking in parenthesis):

December 30

3.00 pm - Marcos Baghdatis (20) vs Tomas Berdych (6)

5.00 pm - Robin Soderling (5) vs Jo-Wilfred Tsonga (13)

December 31

3.00 pm- Roger Federer (2) vs (Winner of Soderling-Tsonga tie)

5.00 pm- Rafael Nadal (1) vs (Winner of Baghdatis vs Berdych tie)

January 1, 2011