By Ros Satar
- Former champions Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray are joined with a new young cast
- Emma Raducanu tests positive for Covid just days before the tournament starts.
ABU DHABI – The Mubadala World Tennis Championships is back – once the unofficial start of the new season, it returns early for its 13th edition.
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Who is playing?
Five-time champion Rafael Nadal and two-time champion Andy Murray bring the experience, and we will see the return to the tour of Dominic Thiem after struggling with a wrist injury.
They will be joined by Andrey Rublev, Casper Ruud and Denis Shapovalov.
For the women’s exhibition match, US Open champion Emma Raducanu was due to face Olympic champion Belinda Bencic.
However, she has tested positive for Covid, and is now isolating and following protocols.
Mubadala World Tennis Championship organisers regrettably confirm that @EmmaRaducanu has tested positive for COVID-19 and has withdrawn from this week’s Championship. (1/4)#MWTC pic.twitter.com/tNuF2Jb09V
— Mubadala World Tennis Championship (@MubadalaWTC) December 13, 2021
Schedule
| Thursday 16 December | |
| 4pm (12pm GMT) | Casper Ruud v Denis Shapovalov |
| NB 6pm (2pm GMT) | Dominic Thiem v Andy Murray |
| NB 8pm (4pm GMT) | TBC v Belinda Bencic |
| Friday 17 December | |
| 3pm (11am GMT) | 5th place play-off |
| NB 5pm (1pm GMT) | Andrey Rublev v Casper Ruud or Denis Shapovalov |
| NB 7pm (3pm GMT) | Rafael Nadal v Dominic Thiem or Andy Murray |
| Saturday 18 December | |
| 5pm (1pm GMT) | 3rd place play-off |
| NB 7pm (3pm GMT) | Men’s Final |
When is it?
The Mubadala Tennis Championships will take place between 16-18 December. It feels a little odd that it Is so early, as it usually would be post-Christmas and went hand in hand with the much-missed Hopman Cup as a sign that the new season was right around the corner.
Either way, especially with the Davis Cup Finals finishing on the first weekend of December, it makes for a very short off-season all round.
Where can you watch it?
| Live Stream | Eurosport Player via Amazon Prime
(Sign up for 30 day free trial of Prime Video and a 7-day free trial of Eurosport Player) |
| Live Scores | Tennis Live Scores on Britwatch Sports |
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