Last year’s runner-up Beatriz Haddad Maia is the latest player to commit to the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open which takes place on February 3-11 at the International Tennis Centre, Zayed Sports City.
Hosted in partnership with Mubadala and Abu Dhabi Sports Council, excitement is building ahead of the second instalment of the WTA 500 event, which was won by Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic last year.
Brazilian Maia, who is currently 11th in the WTA rankings, joins Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur as confirmed entrant for the competition, with more big names to be announced over the coming weeks.
Maia, 27, produced a string of impressive performances during last year’s inaugural Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open, defeating the likes of Marie Bouzkova, Yulia Putintseva and Elena Rybakina en route to the semi-finals, where she was beaten by eventual winner Bencic.
She also reached the semi-finals of last year’s French Open, where once again she was beaten by the eventual winner of the tournament, Iga Swiatek.
Maia said: “I’m thrilled to be taking part in the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open for the second year in a row, and I’m sure it will be another great event.
“Last year, tennis fans in the UAE made the tournament very special and I’m looking forward to performing in front of them once more.”
Nigel Gupta, Director of Tennis Events at IMG and Tournament Director at the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open added: “We are delighted to confirm Beatriz’s involvement at this year’s event, and we look forward to watching her in action once the tournament begins.
“She performed brilliantly at last year’s competition and was unlucky to lose at the semi-final stage. I’m sure she will be eager to make up for that disappointment this time around.
“With Ons Jabeur already confirmed to be participating, and many more stars to be announced over the next few weeks, the sense of anticipation is growing ahead of what we believe will be a fantastic event.”
Sunday, February 4 has been confirmed as Kids Day at the tournament, where families can enjoy a Fan Village featuring a packed entertainment schedule, while Ladies Day will take place on Tuesday, February 6, with wellness-themed activations and spot prizes up for grabs.
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Additionally, CRANK will be partnering with the tournament to deliver their iconic Ride class in the Fan Village across the opening weekend and Ladies Day, which will also feature a carefully created female-focused playlist.
To purchase tickets for the tournament, visit www.mubadalaabudhabiopen.com/tickets/