Event Review

Recognised as the beginning of the global tennis season, the 2018 Mubadala World Tennis Championship attracted the best line-up of players the event had ever seen, making the 11th edition of the tournament one of the most exciting in the history of the Championship.

Not only has the event helped to place Abu Dhabi on the map as the sporting capital of the region, but organisers FLASH Entertainment also witnessed the number of sponsors double in 2018, showcasing just how important the tournament has become to the UAE.

Continuing its popular format of six male players and two female players, the latter of which was introduced in 2017, participating stars included Novak Djokovic (World No.1), Rafael Nadal (2), Kevin Anderson (6), Dominic Thiem (8), Karen Khachanov (11) and Hyeon Chung (25), as well as seven-time Grand Slam winner Venus Williams, who faced her sister and 23-time Grand Slam Champion Serena Williams in the ladies match.

The action didn’t just take place on the court. During the three-day duration of the tournament, visitors also enjoyed a myriad of action and entertainment in the Tennis Village – and the move to make the tournament more family-friendly clearly contributed to the success of the event. The entertainment was wide and varied, ranging from coaching clinics hosted by star players to Q&A sessions with the UAE’s top female athletes from the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy (FBMA), as well as with tennis superstars Karen Khachanov and Venus Williams, hosted by the tennis legend Pat Cash. A live-cooking session with Kevin Anderson proved particularly popular, as did performances by FAFA (winner of the Emerging Talent Competition) and Bait Al Oud from Abu Dhabi Classics.

Premier Hospitality guests were once again treated to an unforgettable experience of first class catering and exclusive player interactions. The hospitality lounge played host to intimate player Q&As and photo sessions, and premier seats provided guests with the ultimate court-side viewing experience during matches.

Not only was 2018 a remarkable year for the Mubadala World Tennis Championship, it was also a fantastic year for the Mubadala Community Cup (MCC) presented by Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. With over 300 participants, including a new ladies’ category, MCC showcased some amazing talent with great potential to become future tennis superstars.

Part of Mubadala and FLASH Entertainment’s objectives is to encourage young people to get into sport – and events like MWTC help to encourage a future generation of sporting champions.