Djokovic and Venus confirmed for Mubadala Tennis
Event to take place at Zayed Sports City in Abu Dhabi from December 27-29
Abu Dhabi: Novak Djokovic and Venus Williams have been confirmed for the 11th edition of the Mubadala World Tennis Championships (MWTC) at the International Tennis Centre at Zayed Sports City in Abu Dhabi from December 27-29.
Fourteen-time Grand Slam winner Djokovic, the current World No. 3, won both Wimbledon and the US Open this year, and his three previous MWTC wins make him the favourite to win again this year.
“It has always been an honour to play in Abu Dhabi and I can’t wait to see my fans once again this year,” said the 31-year-old Serbian. “The Championship offers the perfect opportunity to fine-tune my preparations ahead of the Australian Open and I am really looking forward to competing there again.”
Meanwhile, seven-time Grand Slam winner Venus Williams will be making her event debut.
“This will be my first time playing at the MWTC and I am really looking forward to it,” said the 38-year-old American. “I’ve heard such great things about the Championship and the city from my sister, Serena. I can’t wait to meet my fans and play in front of what I hear is a very passionate crowd.”
In total six men and two women will compete in the tournament, which acts as a season-opening build-up to the Australian Open, with the other players to be confirmed shortly.
The Tennis Village will offer off-court entertainment with each day taking on a new theme from families to foodies and ladies.
Rashed Al Harmoodi, head of external corporate relations for tournament title sponsors Mubadala, said: “We’re delighted to return to the capital for MWTC’s 11th year and are looking forward to welcoming three-time winner Novak Djokovic and Venus Williams on her Championship debut.
“The tournament showcases Abu Dhabi as a world-class destination on the global sporting stage. As a long-standing partner we have always been committed to maximising the community impact and have helped coordinate a range of activities specially designed to engage and inspire young people around the Championship. We hope this will promote healthy lifestyle choices while building excitement around the event and the sport.”
John Lickrish, chief executive officer of organisers Flash Entertainment, said: “The MWTC provides fans unrivalled access to the world’s top tennis players. We’re delighted Novak Djokovic will be returning to the tournament and thrilled to welcome Venus Williams to Abu Dhabi for the first time. The decision to welcome female players last year proved extremely popular; supporting women in tennis is something we will continue to do, especially as the tournament grows in prominence on the global stage.
“As tickets go on sale, we encourage all fans to take advantage of the early bird promotion and as an added incentive we are offering the three-day packages at a 20 per cent discount thereby enabling families to make the most of a truly spectacular sporting event.”
Tickets start from Dh100 and go sale on Wednesday, October 3 from 12pm, via www.ticketmaster.ae by calling 800 86 823 or visiting Virgin Megastores.
As an early bird incentive fans purchasing tickets between October 3 and 13 will stand a chance to win player merchandise each day of the promotion period. Organisers have also announced free entry for children (aged 2-12) on the opening day of the tournament with the purchase of an adult ticket.
For more information, visit www.mubadalawtc.com