Abu Dhabi: World No. 1 and two-time Olympic champion Andy Murray has turned his attentions to the new season and the Mubadala World Tennis Championship (MWTC) in Abu Dhabi after winning the ATP World Tour Finals on Sunday evening.
Earlier this week Murray, who beat Novak Djokovic in straight sets at the London O2 Arena, received a bye to day two at the Mubadala event, which takes place on December 29-31 at the International Tennis Centre, Zayed Sports City.
At the ninth MWTC he will face the winner of the opening match between Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Belgian David Goffin.
The Scot will return to Abu Dhabi for a fifth time and in the form of his life after a sensational 2016 season.
He sealed a record fifth Queen’s Club Championship title win, beat fellow MWTC player Milos Raonic in straight sets to claim his second Wimbledon crown and then became the first back-to-back men’s singles Olympic champion in Rio de Janeiro in August.
In Abu Dhabi, he will be bidding to join Djokovic and Rafael Nadal as three-time winners of the Mubadala event, having won two titles in 2009 and 2015.
Murray tops a star-studded line-up in the UAE capital, including World No. 4 Raonic, defending champion Nadal, Tomas Berdych, Goffin and Tsonga.
“I’m now taking some time to rest before shifting focus to the next season, which for me starts in Abu Dhabi,” Murray said. “I’ve played Tsonga and Goffin a couple of times this season and I know that a final for me in Abu Dhabi certainly isn’t a given. I’ll be watching their day one match closely to see what game they’ve brought to the tournament as players tend to try new things there. It’s a chance to experiment and put what you’ve been working on in the off-season to the test against some great players, which is what makes it such an exciting tournament.”
Murray confirmed he would take part in the MWTC in September via a young Emirati fan who contacted him on social media asking him to attend. He said: “I receive a lot of comments from fans on social media asking me to come back to Abu Dhabi each year. Tennis fans in the UAE are always so supportive when I play, and they have a real passion for the sport.
“One of the things I know that all the players enjoy about the tournament is being able to meet fans and spend time with promising young players away from the action on centre court as well.”
Murray’s mother, Judy, will host a community clinic at the event, while the players will do likewise and sign autographs.
Tickets to the 2016 Mubadala World Tennis Championship start from Dh50 for Category 2 seating. Exclusive premier hospitality packages are also available, including food and limited beverages, star player meet-and-greets and courtside seating.
Formula One Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix ticket-holders redeeming their Y1 Access benefits receive a 20 per cent discount on Category 2 tickets. Y1 Access is the money-off, advantage programme for 2016 #AbuDhabiGP race ticket-holders and is offered for selected FLASH events until February 2017. For further information please visit www.yasalam.ae.
For more information about the 2016 Mubadala Tennis World Championship, visit www.mubadalawtc.com and www.facebook.com/mubadalaworldtennischampionship.
