Abu Dhabi: Aspiring UAE tennis players will take part in the Under-14’s round of the annual Mubadala Community Cup powered by Healthpoint at the Meydan Tennis Academy in Dubai this weekend.
The Community Cup complements the eighth Mubadala World Tennis Championship (MWTC), which takes place from December 31 to January 2 when six of the best players in the world are expected to descend on Abu Dhabi.
It will run until December 12, after which the eventual winner, runners-up and lucky raffle picks from each group will meet their tennis heroes on court during the Mubadala World Tennis Championship.
Shaped to leave a legacy beyond the three days of the MWTC, organisers say the Mubadala Community Cup presented by Healthpoint Hospital is a tournament for young players from across the region to hone their skills through competition.
Fourteen-time grand slam winner Rafael Nadal, reigning French Open champion Stan Wawrinka and ATP World Tour top-10 players David Ferrer and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga are taking part in the annual event.
Making their debuts at the Zayed Sports City International Tennis Stadium will be breakthrough stars Milos Raonic of Canada and South Africa’s Kevin Anderson.
In the Community Cup, meanwhile, there are new opportunities for Dubai-based men to compete in the Men’s Singles category and the new Pro-Am category, in which teams consist of a coach (Pro) paired with two of their 15-16-year-old male or female students (Amateur).
The category is formatted as a timed tie-break doubles event, with this year’s tournament also adding a Ladies’ Doubles category, which will take place in Abu Dhabi this weekend.
The Mubadala Community Cup’s inter-emirate play-off will also return after being added to the programme two years ago.
With the pride of the nation at stake, winners from Abu Dhabi will take on their Dubai counterparts during the Mubadala World Tennis Championship in December, where the UAE’s ultimate Community Cup Champion will be crowned.
Speaking on behalf of title sponsor Mubadala, the Abu Dhabi-based investment and development company, Nadine Saleh Hassan, head of Integrated Marketing and Outreach for Mubadala, said: “The Mubadala Community Cup presented by Healthpoint Hospital is a fantastic opportunity for tennis fans in the UAE and across the region. Through fun competition, members of the community can learn good sportsmanship and strong values, all while enjoying the health benefits of exercise through tennis.”
Tickets for the annual tennis season-opener, the MWTC, are available at www.ticketmaster.ae and Virgin Megastores across the UAE, or by calling 800 TM UAE (86 823) or +971 4 3662289 for international calls.
