ABU DHABI, November 22, 2017
Five weeks ahead of the 10th edition of the Mubadala World Tennis Championship (MWTC), held from 28 to 30 December 2017, organizers revealed the draw for the Abu Dhabi event on Tuesday.
Taking to the court for the first time since the French Open Final, three-time Grand Slam winner, Stan Wawrinka, will open the action against MWTC debutant and US Open semi-finalist, Pablo Carreño Busta on 28th December. The pair will be joined by another MWTC debutant, World No. 5 Dominic Thiem as well as Canadian Milos Raonic on the first day at the International Tennis Center at Zayed Sports City.
Nadal And Djokovic With First Round Byes
2017 season-end World No. 1, Rafael Nadal and 12-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic both receive byes until day two, where they will then face the winners of day one on 29th December. Djokovic has received a bye due to his ranking as it was at the time of injury post-Wimbledon, whereas Thiem has been placed on the opposite side of the draw to Nadal based on his current ranking as the tournament’s second seeded player.
The schedule for #MWTC10 is finally out and if you haven’t bought your tickets yet – HURRY before the seats run out! Tickets at https://t.co/H4cgkiFdlb pic.twitter.com/pWyzEBuz6J
— MWTC (@MubadalaTennis) 21. November 2017
Following the draw reveal, John Lickrish, CEO, FLASH Entertainment said, “This has to be one of the most highly anticipated Mubadala World Tennis Championship’s to date. With every player looking to start the season on the right foot in Abu Dhabi, we are expecting some explosive matches throughout the three days. The competition this year is going to be extremely competitive and should really set the tone for the rest of the season. We have an incredible combination of experienced MWTC Champions and players, as well as debutants, so it will be exceptionally exciting to see the on-court action unfold.”
Wawrinka And Carreno Busta To Kick Off The Action
Wawrinka won all of the three previous meetings with Carreño Busta. Their most recent encounter took place in the semi-finals of the ATP Masters 1000 event in Indian Wells in March this year. By making his fifth appearance in Abu Dhabi, the 32-year-old Swiss will return to competition for the first time since losing in the opening round at Wimbledon in June. Carreño Busta has just finished his season at the Nitto ATP Finals in London.
In the second match of the opening day, Thiem will challenge Raonic for the third time, hoping for his first win against the big-hitting Canadian. The reigning Rio Open champion from Austria concluded a successful tennis year with his second consecutive appearance at the season finale at the O2. Raonic is looking to make a successful return to the court at the start of the 2018 season.
Those attending the first day of the MWTC tournament activities on the 28th of December, can expect a fun day out at the Tennis Village for Kid’s Day, with the chance to meet Rafael Nadal at his autograph signing, watch the players up close at their practice sessions and enjoy their Q&A’s, as well as enjoying a variety of games and activations.
For tickets, please visit ticketmaster.ae
