Rafael Nadal set to return to Abu Dhabi

World No. 5 and 20-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal has confirmed his return to Abu Dhabi for the 13th edition of the Mubadala World Tennis Championship.

He will be joining a star-studded line-up that includes Casper Ruud (No. 8), Dominic Thiem (No. 12) and Denis Shapovalov (No. 19), US Open women’s champion Emma Raducanu and Tokyo Olympics gold medal winner Belinda Bencic.

Nadal has had a victorious run in Abu Dhabi on five occasions, including the most recent edition in 2019, will be looking to defend his title.

"Abu Dhabi is a special place for me, a place where I have been many times and where I started my seasons many times," said Nadal, who has returned to full-time training following a foot injury that has kept him away from the courts for months.

"Ever since I first came to Abu Dhabi, I’ve had a great response from the fans and I am sure the atmosphere is going to be special as always."

John Lickrish, CEO of Flash Entertainment, expressed delight at the latest addition to the player line-up. 

"Rafael Nadal and the Mubadala World Tennis Championship go hand in hand, so we’re extremely pleased that the player with the most appearances at our Championship has declared himself fit to continue his remarkable run in Abu Dhabi," he added.

The tournament will return with full stadium capacity at Abu Dhabi's Zayed Sports City with safety protocols in place from December 16 -18.

Tickets, starting from AED 100 for adults and AED 50 for children, are available from ticketmaster.ae and Virgin Megastores across the UAE.