ABU DHABI, December 21, 2019
Rafael Nadal marked his 10th Mubadala World Tennis Championship anniversary by picking up a record fifth Abu Dhabi title with victory over in-form Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas in an exciting final at Zayed Sports City on Saturday night.
Nadal showed why he is World No. 1 with another all-action display to delight his UAE fans. The 33-year-old Spaniard, who was chasing his first Abu Dhabi crown since 2016, sealed a 6-7, 7-5, 7-6 victory after more than three hours on court.
“It’s a real pleasure to come here and to win a fifth title means a lot to me,” Nadal said. “I had a great match yesterday and a great match today. Hopefully I can stay healthy and hopefully I will be back next year. The crowds have been amazing and it is a real pleasure to play in front of you all.”
Runner-up Tsitsipas, said: “I gave it my all out there and I liked your support. I’ve really enjoyed it in Abu Dhabi, the people have been very nice. I’m grateful to have the opportunity to witness that. I think I’ve made 8,000 new friends today!”
Two worthy finalists, and a very worthy winner! @RafaelNadal takes his 5th #MWTC title tonight 🏆 pic.twitter.com/IwHbg3ZGWm
— MWTC (@MubadalaWTC) December 21, 2019
John Lickrish, CEO of the tournament’s organizer Flash Entertainment said: “After three days of dramatic action on court and family entertainment in the tennis village, the 12th Mubadala World Tennis Championship has reaffirmed its status as a world-class event and underlined Abu Dhabi’s credentials as a truly world-class sporting destination.
“Our fans were entertained, and our players were delighted by the world-renowned hospitality shown to them across Abu Dhabi. Congratulations to our Champion, Rafael Nadal, and Maria Sharapova for her victory on Thursday. We look forward to welcoming the world’s best players back for another momentous edition of the Mubadala World Tennis Championship in 2020.”
Djokovic finishes third
Earlier in the day, Novak Djokovic defeated Karen Khachanov of Russia in the third-place play-off, securing a 7-5, 6-3 win in one our and six minutes. The World No. 2 from Serbia and four-time champion took charge of the match from the outset and enjoyed his time on court, playing to the crowd at the end of the match with a contest challenging sections to cheer loudest.
“Abu Dhabi is a really impressive place and this tournament is one of the rare tournaments that consistently offers a very high-class field. It’s something a tradition for me to come here and it has been great to get some quality match time under my belt,” said Djokovic.
