Abu Dhabi (Etihad)
Tunisian star Ons Jaber, the highest-ranked tennis player in the Arab world, confirmed her participation in the Mubadala World Tennis Championship, which will be hosted by the International Tennis Center in Zayed Sports City from December 16-18. Jaber’s participation represents the first attendance of Arab tennis players in the tournament since its inception in 2009. In addition to Jaber, the list of players participating in the tournament has been modified to include American star Taylor Fritz and British player Dan Evans.
After reaching the highest ranking in her career in November 2021 with a seventh place according to the WTA rankings, Jaber will face Belinda Bencic, the gold medalist of the Tokyo Olympics, in the Mubadala World Tennis Championships, on the first day of the tournament next Thursday. Jaber replaces US Open champion Emma Radocano, who withdrew from the tournament after it was confirmed that she was infected with the “Covid-19” virus.
Jaber, who is ranked first in the African continent, recorded a successful season with distinction, reaching the quarter-finals of Wimbledon, in addition to winning the WTA title, after defeating Daria Kastkina in the Birmingham Classic 2021, to be the first Tunisian and Arab player to snatch this title.
Jaber said: I am proud to be the first Arab player to participate in the Mubadala World Tennis Championship. I scored an outstanding season in 2021, and my participation in the tournament represents the perfect opportunity to launch the 2022 season. Abu Dhabi is an important destination on the global sporting calendar, and the city has always held a dear place for me, and every time I visit the city I feel very warmly welcomed by everyone. I am looking forward to playing in Abu Dhabi and doing my best in front of its fans.
On the other hand, the thirteenth edition of the tournament will witness the first American participation since Andy Roderick and James Blake participated in the first edition of the tournament in 2009, with Taylor Fritz, who achieved the highest rating in his career by reaching the 23rd place, in this year’s competitions to face Denis Shapovalov in the knockout matches. in the first day.
“Participating in the tournament with this distinguished group of champions gives me the opportunity to open the 2022 season by competing with the best players in the world and honing my personal skills,” Fritz said. I am looking forward to participating in the tournament for the first time and meeting the sports fans in Abu Dhabi.
Fritz replaces Casper Ruud, who withdrew from the tournament due to an injury. Rudd commented: “I feel very sorry for having to withdraw from the tournament due to an injury, I was very excited to be participating in the Mubadala World Tennis Championship for the first time. Playing sports involves getting injured, and I hope to be able to participate in this prestigious tournament in the coming years.
Dominic Thiem, who also pulled out of the tournament, is ranked 22nd in the world, Dan Evans, who will face former Mubadala World Tennis Championship champion Andy Murray in the knockout matches on day one. After confirming his participation in the tournament, Evans said: “I am very excited to be participating in the tournament, and I know the huge number of British fans in Abu Dhabi, which is why it is great to face Andy in front of such a crowd. This is the perfect opportunity to start the new season.
On his part, Thiem commented on his withdrawal by saying: I was looking forward to returning to the tournament and playing in Abu Dhabi, but I feel that I am not yet ready to compete at the highest levels of performance that I can provide, and it is unfortunate that I have to withdraw from this year’s edition, but I am currently focused on completing my preparations For next season, I hope to be able to participate in the Mubadala World Tennis Championships in the future.
For his part, John Lekrich, CEO of Flash Entertainment, said: “Unfortunately, we had to make some adjustments to the list of participating players due to the injuries that some players were exposed to and Emma’s infection with the “Covid-19” virus, as we wish them a speedy recovery and a return to the tennis courts in Abu Dhabi in shortest time.
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