Mubadala Abu Dhabi open Tennis Village set to deliver enhanced fan experience for 2025 event
Free-to-enter Mubadala Tennis Village is set to comprise five key districts, providing an array of entertainment options, along with a huge selection of F&B offerings
The expanded tennis village is twice the size of previous years with 15,000 square metres of fun and sporting skill tests on offer
Reigning champion Elena Rybakina returns to defend her title against a world-class field including Ons Jabeur, Daria Kasatkina, and Paula Badosa
Fans attending the eagerly anticipated third edition of the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open (February 1-8) can look forward to not only world-class tennis action but an unforgettable off-court experience with the biggest and best-ever Mubadala Tennis Village, designed and delivered by award-winning creative event experts, Brag.
At an impressive 15,000 square meters – double the size of previous years – the Mubadala Tennis Village at the International Tennis Centre, Zayed Sports City, promises to elevate the event experience to new levels with a mix of entertainment, food, and family-friendly activities.
Entry to the village is free, giving fans even more reason to soak in the festival atmosphere throughout the tournament.
'This year, we're taking the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open experience to a whole new level,' said Nigel Gupta, Tournament Director. 'With a vibrant Mubadala Tennis Village twice the size of previous years, packed with creative activations and entertainment for fans of all ages, we're proud to offer something truly special to complement the world-class action on court. It's an experience not to be missed!'
The Mubadala Tennis Village is divided into five unique districts, each offering something special for visitors:
District 1, Main Stage, is the vibrant heart of the village, featuring live performances, interactive experiences, and unforgettable entertainment for fans of all ages.
Enjoy a culinary haven at District 2, Game, Set, Eat, which features a variety of food and beverage outlets catering to every palate.
District 3, You Got Served, features a host of tennis-themed activations to immerse fans in the spirit of the game, while District 4, Advantage Arts, is all about creative arts and crafts experiences that celebrate the sport and engage fans of all ages.
Lastly, District 5, Dropshot Arcade, is a fun-filled zone with arcade games.
Within the five districts, a host of fantastic attractions are included to maintain the fun off-court, including The Deuce Detour Maze, which operates on a 'one exit, one entry' policy to ensure smooth flow, with roaming staff on hand to assist lost adventurers. In the Dropshot Arcade, timed open play allows everyone to enjoy arcade games, with children playing one machine at a time. Parents are welcome to join, and on busy days, a timed play policy ensures fair access.
Elsewhere, the Serve 'n' Strike Wall is perfect for honing your tennis serve, while precision is key at the Tennis Swing Station. The focus turns to football at Goal Getters, where players can showcase their skills, and Bounce Boulevard boasts a six-bed trampoline for children aged four to 12, supervised by trained professionals for safe, endless fun throughout the tournament.
Additionally, test your skill and speed with two dynamic activities at the Reaction Challenge, where the first measures serve speed, featuring benchmark information from Mubadala-sponsored tennis events, while the second challenges players to return balls from a tennis machine, aiming to hit interactive targets. At Advantage Arts, meanwhile, children aged 12-14 can join Emirati artist and arts coach, May Ali, in a series of arts workshops throughout the tournament.
New for this year, the Tennis Village Passport gives attendees a chance to be rewarded for their efforts. Passports will be given to guests on arrival, and subsequently stamped on completion of each activation, with prizes including tickets and branded merchandise awarded to those with 13 stamps.
Music fans can look forward to a string of live performances on the main stage in the Mubadala Tennis Village throughout the tournament, with Carl Lafrenais, who has shared a stage with icons such as Bon Jovi, Sting, and Bastille during his career, and the FTM Band, providing the soundtrack to the opening day, while talented duo Gemma & JK will be entertaining crowds on Sunday.
Irish singer/songwriter Joe Girvin takes to the stage on Wednesday, February 5, and it's the turn of Darren Lynch, who will be performing a selection of classic hits and crowd favorites, on Thursday, February 6. Kerrie Duo will then kick the weekend off in thrilling fashion on Frida,y February 7.
The tournament draws to a close on Saturday, February 8, and the final day's music will be provided by Dan Moores and Chelsey, who will bring the curtain down on the event in style.
This year's Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open is bigger and better than ever, which applies to the F&B selection too.
Regardless of your personal preferences, all tastes are catered for with a vast selection of options, including Monno (Italian), La Patrona (Mexican), and Kaak w Som Som (Lebanese).
Those spectators looking for burgers, steak, fried chicken and fries should make a point of visiting either LSE (La Sauce Entrecotte) or Crmbz, while Sliced and Papazou will be serving up pizza and Asian noodles respectively.
With House of Pops (ice lollies), Seven Fortunes (coffee), and Zaatar w Karak (tea and karak) also part of the Mubadala Tennis Village, there is absolutely no reason for fans to go hungry or thirsty.
The 2025 Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open will feature a world-class line-up of players, including defending champion Elena Rybakina, fan-favorite Ons Jabeur, along with stars such as Beatriz Haddad Maia, Daria Kasatkina, Belinda Bencic, and Paula Badosa, ensuring spectators are guaranteed thrilling matches from start to finish.
Tickets for the tournament are now available at www.mubadalaabudhabiopen.com and fans can follow all the action on the website. Children can attend the first five days of the tournament free of charge, while adult ticket prices start from just AED 25.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Khaleej Times
01-06-2025
- Khaleej Times
Swiatek digs herself out of deep hole to reach French Open last eight
Four-times champion Iga Swiatek clawed her way back from the brink to qualify for the French Open quarter-finals as she beat her clay court nemesis Elena Rybakina after a high-octane decider on Sunday. The fifth-seeded Pole looked out of sorts as she trailed 6-1, 2-0 on Court Philippe Chatrier, leaving the crowd stunned, but Swiatek found her groove and some grit to prevail 1-6, 6-3, 7-5. Her final opponent from last year, Jasmine Paolini, was on the wrong end of another dramatic last-16 clash against 13th seed Elina Svitolina of Ukraine as the Italian wasted three match points in a 4-6, 7-6(6), 6-1 defeat. Svitolina will provide the next test for Swiatek, who continues her quest to become the first female player since tennis turned professional to claim the singles' title four times in a row at Roland Garros. The only women to win the singles at Roland Garros in four straight years were Jeanne Matthey from 1909-12 and Suzanne Lenglen from 1920-23 when only French players competed. Since tennis turned professional in 1968, Swiatek is one of three women with Monica Seles and Justine Henin to enjoy three consecutive triumphs in Paris and on Sunday it looked like her quest for a fourth straight was going to crash to a halt. The 12th-seeded Rybakina made a bullet start, putting Swiatek on the back foot with some powerful baseline play and racing to a 5-0 lead, threatening to inflict on the former world number one her first bagel at a Grand Slam. "It was as if I was playing (men's world number one and heavy hitter) Jannik Sinner," Swiatek joked. Double faults If there was any sign that Swiatek was rattled, it was her three double faults at 2-2 in the second set. The fifth seed still held though and it proved to be a turning point as she went on to break to love and move 4-2 up, bagging 10 consecutive points in the process to send the clash into a decider. At 4-4, with Rybakina serving at 15-40, the Kazakh appeared to have double-faulted on break point. Both players were walking towards their benches when chair umpire Kader Nouni's deep voice overruled the line judge's call. The reversal — met with murmurs from the crowd — offered Rybakina an unexpected lifeline as the air filled with electricity. Swiatek later saved a game point with a blistering forehand winner, but it was Rybakina who ultimately secured the crucial hold, shifting the weight of expectation squarely onto her opponent's shoulders. Swiatek cooled down and held, then broke and finished it off on the second match point before unleashing a huge scream and bumping her chest in a mix of released anger and relief. "In the first set, with her playing like that I felt I did not have a single chance," said Swiatek, who had lost to Rybakina in their two previous encounters on clay. "Using the top spin was the plan from the beginning but I did not feel she gave me the space to do that. But I'm happy that I was patient enough to stay in the game and use any opportunity that came to me." Elsewhere in the top half of the draw, Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen battled on, the Chinese eighth seed overcoming Russia's Liudmila Samsonova 7-6(5), 1-6, 6-3, with a potential clash against world number one Aryna Sabalenka looming. In the men's draw, world number 12 Tommy Paul blitzed Australian Alexei Popyrin 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 to become the first American male player to reach the French Open quarter-finals in 22 years. Paul matched Andre Agassi's run from 2003 after Americans on Saturday equalled a 40-year-old record with five women and three men reaching round four of the clay court Grand Slam.
The National
01-06-2025
- The National
French Open: Swiatek reaches quarter-finals after scare while Sabalenka powers through
Iga Swiatek's reign on the clay courts of Roland Garros was given a scare by Elena Rybakina on Sunday before the four-time French Open champion emerged victorious once again. The Pole fifth seed has struggled for form of late – failing to defend both her Madrid and Rome titles – and went into her favourite tournament ranked outside the top two for the first time since March 2022. Swiatek came through the first three rounds in Paris without dropping a set, including a 6-1, 6-2 demolition of former US Open champion Emma Raducanu. But that soon changed on Court Philipe Chatrier as she found herself a set and a break down against the 12th-seeded Kazakh. Swiatek, though, showed her mettle by launching a comeback that ended in a 1-6, 6-3, 7-5 victory and keeps her on track for a fourth French Open title in a row. 'Well, it was tough,' said the 24-year-old who reached the quarter-finals for a sixth consecutive year. 'First set, I felt like I was playing against Jannik Sinner. 'She really pushed me. I needed to do something to get back into the game – with her playing like that I didn't have a lot of hope. 'At the end, I was able to play my game, and I am super happy.' Swiatek now holds a 5-4 head-to-head record over Rybakina, after claiming her first victory against the 25-year-old on the red dirt. 'I wouldn't say perfect,' added Swiatek when asked about her performance. 'I don't think I have double-faulted three times in one game. It was not easy. 'We played pretty amazing. It is tough to play here, and it means a lot to win this match and I am through.' Next up for Swiatek will be Elina Svitolina who survived three match points before overcoming last year's runner-up Jasmine Paolini 4-6, 7-6, 6-1. The Italian fourth seed went into the match on the back of a career-best nine-match winning streak, including a run to the title on clay at the Italian Open. And Paolini will be frustrated not to have maintained that momentum after missing a hat-trick of chances to beat the Ukrainian 18th seed and seal a last-eight spot. 'I would've never believed this match would swing my way,' Svitolina admitted. 'It was a really difficult match, Jasmine was playing really, really well. It was really tough. I had to fight until the last point and I'm very happy to be in the next round. 'Of course it's one or two points which decided the second set. I was really pleased to win the second set and played really well to close the match. 'We are at a Grand Slam so everyone is playing very well and everyone is fighting. It's all about trying to stay focused and finding the opportunities.' There were no such problems for world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka who reached her 10th consecutive Grand Slam quarter-final with a straight-sets win over Amanda Anisimova of the US. The Belarusian battled through a tight opening set against the American 16th seed and then needed eight match points to clinch a 7-5, 6-3 victory on Court Suzanne Lenglen. Sabalenka, who was the pre-tournament favourite, will face Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen in the last eight after the Chinese star edged past Russia's Liudmila Samsonova 7-6, 1-6, 6-3. Zheng beat Sabalenka for the first time in their seven meetings in the Italian Open quarter-finals in the build-up to Roland Garros. The Belarusian was knocked out at the same stage last year in Paris when she lost in three sets to Paolini. 'I definitely learnt the lessons from last year and will do my best to make sure I'm healthy and fit for the quarter-finals,' said the three-time Grand Slam champion. 'I'm super hungry for this tournament. I love this place and I want to stay here until the very last day. I'll go out and do my very, very best.'
The National
28-05-2025
- The National
Ons Jabeur takes aim at French Open organisers as Carlos Alcaraz eases into third round
Ons Jabeur has criticised French Open organisers over their continued snubbing of women's matches in prime-time TV slots. Night-session matches were introduced at Roland Garros in 2021 but have been dominated by men's singles ties. All 11 prime-time matches last year featured men and a same pattern has emerged in this tournament with the first three following suit so far. Jabeur was also critical of French Open bosses last year saying players deserve 'better scheduling' after several matches went on beyond midnight. French Tennis Federation president Gilles Moretton this week insisted the schedule is geared towards what is better for fans. 'Sometimes we have to think about what could be better for spectators' he said. 'That's why sometimes we have to make some choices.' Those comments have infuriated three-time Grand Slam finalist Jabeur who took aim at Moretton after her first-round defeat against Magdalena Frech. 'It's still sad that we are still seeing this,' said the Tunisian. 'In Europe, it's unfortunate for women's sports in general. 'Whoever is making the decision, I don't think they have daughters, because I don't think they want to treat their daughters like this. 'It's a bit ironic. They don't show women's sport, they don't show women's tennis, and then they ask the question, 'yeah, but mostly they watch men'. Of course they watch men more because you show men more. Everything goes together. 'It's a shame from the Federation, a shame from [Amazon] Prime, that they made such a contract like this. A lot of great players, they deserve to be there. 'One of the matches was Naomi [Osaka] and Paula [Badosa]. Such an unbelievable match. They were supposed to be there. Like last year, Iga [Swiatek] and Naomi was supposed to be there. A lot of great matches, they should have been there. 'I'm not sure what kind of fans he's talking about. I know I'm a fan. I will watch that match.' In Tuesday's action, four-time Paris champion Swiatek brushed aside Emma Raducanu in ruthless fashion on Court Philippe Chatrier. The Polish fifth seed, who is looking to win her fourth French Open title in a row, outclassed her British opponent from to start to finish on her way to a 6-1, 6-2 second-round win. Italian fourth seed Jasmine Paolini, a surprise runner-up last year, barely put a foot wrong as she brushed aside Australia's Ajla Tomljanovic 6-3, 6-3. 'A little bit of ups and downs but I'm happy I won,' said last year's runner-up Paolini, who advances to play Ukraine's Yuliia Starodubtseva. China's Zheng Qinwen, the Paris 2024 Olympic champion at Roland Garros, powered past Emiliana Arango of Colombia 6-2, 6-3, with the eighth seed's big-hitting game proved too much for the world No 85. The Chinese star faces another Grand Slam debutant in the next round, 18-year-old Victoria Mboko of Canada. Ukrainian 13th seed Elina Svitolina and US 16th seed Amanda Anisimova also progressed. In the men's draw, reigning champion Carlos Alcaraz eased into the third round after disposing of unseeded Hungarian Fabian Marozsan 6-1, 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 on Court Philippe Chatrier. 'Second set, he started to play better and he didn't miss a lot so it was a little bit difficult to deal with his game,' said Alcaraz. 'I'm really happy I stayed strong and refreshed myself. In the third set, I started to play better and better which helped me have a really good last two sets.' Alcaraz, a four-time Grand Slam winner, goes on to face French 31st seed Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard or Bosnian Damir Dzumhur for a place in the last-16. Seventh seed and two-time finalist Casper Ruud fell to a shock defeat against Nuno Borges as the Portuguese claimed the biggest win of his career. Norwegian Ruud looked far from his best and was clearly not fully fit and could barely move by the end of his 6-2, 4-6, 1-6, 0-6 defeat that finished in two hours and 17 minutes. 'Hopefully it is nothing too serious but for the last couple of weeks I've been struggling with knee pain,' Ruud told a press conference. 'In practice it is easier to avoid certain movements, certain shots. But when you play matches you can't control it the same way. 'Sometimes you kind of forget that this is a shot I shouldn't go for maybe in terms of pain in the knee. I still played good tennis in the first two sets,' he said. 'It's a Slam, I didn't want to retire.'
