Abu Dhabi: The UAE’s promising young tennis players got one step closer to their dream of playing with the world’s greatest over the weekend as the Under-14s round of the annual Mubadala Community Cup powered by Healthpoint took place at Meydan Tennis Academy and brought the Dubai rounds of the competition to a close.
Up for grabs was the opportunity to take part in coaching sessions with the headliners of the Mubadala World Tennis Championship from December 31, 2015 — January 2, 2016 in Abu Dhabi.
The winners from the ‘14s and under’ will move on to play the Abu Dhabi champions in their age group to secure one of only 60 spots at exclusive coaching clinics with the likes of Rafael Nadal and Stanislas Wawrinka at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship. Matches started in Abu Dhabi on October 30, with the last rounds taking place on December 12 in the capital.
Tim Rutherford, winner of the Dubai ‘14s-and-Under’, said: “There was a really great atmosphere at the tournament. The other kids were really friendly and there were lots of families there.
“My dad drove me all the way from Oman so I could participate and it was definitely worth it, to put my skills to the test against some really good players. I’ve been playing tennis since I was six and it would be absolutely amazing to get the chance to play against one of the world’s best players.”
“I was so excited to play in the tournament,” Zeyad Elchouem, winner of the Abu Dhabi ‘12s and Under’ which took place in November, added: “To me, it didn’t matter if I won or lost, I was just looking forward to playing tennis and meeting lots of other young tennis players, so it was an amazing feeling when I ended up winning.
“It would be a dream come true to play with one of the world’s top players, especially Nadal, as he is my all-time favourite tennis player.”
Open to all ages from eight years through to adults, player fields are divided into seven categories; ‘10 and Under’; ‘12 and Under’; ‘14 and Under’; Men’s singles; Ladies’ doubles; adults’ mixed doubles; and Pro-Am, with an emphasis on developing young players.
The winner, runner-up and two raffle winners from each group will advance to the star player clinics and winners will also be awarded two tickets to day two of the Mubadala World Tennis Championship.
The upcoming edition of the Mubadala World Tennis Championship will take place at the International Tennis Centre, Zayed Sports City, Abu Dhabi with six of the sport’s superstars, Rafael Nadal, Stan Wawrinka, David Ferrer, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Kevin Anderson and Milos Raonic confirmed as this year’s star-studded line up.
Tickets for the annual tennis season-opener 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.