The Mubadala World Tennis Championship announced last weekend that Rafael Nadal and Milos Raonic will be two of the six participants at the upcoming installment of the lucrative exhibition event. Held at the International Tennis Centre at the Zayed Sports City in Abu Dhabi, the tournament will take place Dec. 31, 2015 through Jan. 2, 2016.
Nadal will make his seventh appearance at the tournament and is looking for his third title, which would come with a $250,000 prize.
“A new season is a new opportunity for success and I am looking forward to getting started in Abu Dhabi,” said the seventh-ranked Spaniard, who went without a Grand Slam this year for the first time since 2004. “The Mubadala World Tennis Championship is an event I always enjoy and it’s great to be returning to action with the world’s top players in the UAE capital. I’m looking forward to spending time with the local crowds; they are always very supportive.”
Raonic will be making his tournament debut. The ninth-ranked Canadian just won the St. Petersburg Open on Sunday as he tries to make a late push for World Tour Finals qualification.
“I’m really looking forward to it, that’s for sure,” Raonic commented. “The lineup is always extremely strong and I’ve heard nothing but good things from the guys on the tour who have been there before. For me it will be my first time in Abu Dhabi, so it’s going to be a new experience. I’ll be on the lookout for the Canadian flags in the stands for support.”
Andy Murray captured last year’s title, getting a walkover from Novak Djokovic in the final. Djokovic had been the three-time defending champion.
Even though its only an exhibition, I don’t understand the logic behind this tournament’s seedings Murray is seeded 4th when in reality he should be seeded 2nd based on his ranking.