Dubai: The Mubadala World Tennis Championship is shaping up for another thriller as world No. 12 Dominic Thiem was added to a list of top stars descending on Abu Dhabi for the 13th edition of the event next month.
After a difficult time in the world of sport last year, MWTC will welcome full-capacity crowds at the International Tennis Centre, Zayed Sports City, in Abu Dhabi, from December 16-18, with the likes of men’s world No. 8 Casper Ruud, No. 19 Denis Shapovalov, women’s US Open champion Emma Raducanu and Tokyo 2020 champion Belinda Bencic — and now Thiem is added to the star-studded list.
“We have always had a vision of using the Mubadala World Tennis Championship as a way of embracing the community in the UAE capital and bringing people together,” said John Lickrish, CEO of organisers Flash Entertainment.
“Bringing these big names to Abu Dhabi is one thing but it is the community spirit that makes this event what it is. We have the Community Cup and open events so youngsters can participate in the coaching sessions with the likes of Roger Federer and Rafael in the past. We also give local children the chance to participate as ball kids during matches, not only allowing them the interact with the top-level players and competition, but also gain vital knowledge about the game.”
The MWTC has established itself as a season warm-up event ahead of the Australian Open for over a decade and has attracted top stars such as Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray from the men’s game. In recent years, MWTC has expanded to include an exhibition clash between top female players such as Serena and Venus Williams — something Lickrish is keen to expand on as we move forward.
“The female game is key to expanding tennis in the uae community and beyond and stars such as Serena are among the most famous in the world,” he said. “To have Emma and Belinda here this year is amazing as the illustrate the future of the s[port alongside Denis and Casper.
“Looking ahead, we are envisaging a full female tournament to run alongside the men’s event, to fully embrace the sport in Abu Dhabi. Community is first and foremost with MWTC and as we continue to grow, we aim to bring everyone together in this event and make it bigger and better.
“Everyone knows how good a player Dominic is, especially our loyal, knowledgeable Championship fans. We are thrilled that he has decided to choose our Championship to make his return to tennis. Once again it demonstrates the appeal of playing in Abu Dhabi at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship as a great opportunity for the world’s best to benefit from top-class competitive action ahead of the new season. With the return of full capacity, more people will have the chance to see the world’s best players up close and soak up the festival atmosphere in the stadium and Tennis Village.
