Organisers of the 10th edition of the Mubadala World Tennis Championship (MWTC) running from December 28 to 30 have revealed the draw for the Abu Dhabi event, with two strong matches set to dominate day one of the tournament.

Taking to the court for the first time since the French Open Final, three-time Grand Slam winner, Stan Wawrinka, will kick start the tournament against MWTC debutant and US Open semi-finalist, Pablo Carreño Busta at 5pm on December 28. Opening day will also witness another MWTC debutant, world no. 5 Dominic Thiem, challenge Canadian Milos Raonic, who will be making his third consecutive appearance in Abu Dhabi this year.

Current world number one Rafael Nadal and twelve-time Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic both receive byes until day two, where they will then face the winners of day one on December 29. Djokovic has received a bye to day two due to his ranking as it was at the time of injury post-Wimbledon, whereas Thiem has been placed on the opposite side of the draw to Nadal based on his current ranking as the tournament’s second seeded player.

Following the draw reveal, John Lickrish, CEO of Flash Entertainment, a premier live events company said, “This has to be one of the most highly anticipated Mubadala World Tennis Championship’s to date. With every player looking to start the season on the right foot in Abu Dhabi, we are expecting some explosive matches throughout the three days.

The competition this year is going to be extremely competitive and should really set the tone for the rest of the season. We have an incredible combination of experienced MWTC Champions and players, as well as debutants, so it will be exceptionally exciting to see the on-court action unfold.”

Stan Wawrinka and Pablo Carreño Busta have only come head-to-head three times in their career, with Wawrinka having previously taken wins across the board, most recently in the semi-finals of Indian Wells. For Wawrinka, an Olympic champion and member of Switzerland’s Davis Cup winning team, competing at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship isn’t something new as this year will be his fifth appearance. Carreño Busta is making his debut following a season which saw him reach his first Grand Slam semi-final at the US Open.

The second match of day one will see Rio Open Champion Dominic Thiem challenge Milos Raonic to their third ever match head-to-head, hoping for his first win against the Canadian. Thiem has just enjoyed his best season of his still young career yet, whilst Raonic will be looking to make a successful return to the court at the start of the 2018 season.

Those attending the first day of the MWTC tournament activities on December 28, can expect a fun day out at the Tennis Village for Kid’s Day, with the chance to meet Rafael Nadal at his autograph signing, watch the players up close at their practice sessions and enjoy their Q&A’s, as well as enjoying a variety of games and activations.

Celebrate watching some of the world’s best tennis stars on UAE soil by warming up or cooling down at Creamfields Abu Dhabi or Katy Perry’s New Year’s Eve concert. If you have already purchased a ticket for MWTC, you can now receive a 20 per cent discount when purchasing a General Admission ticket to Creamfields Abu Dhabi and/or Katy Perry’s New Year Eve Concert online. – TradeArabia News Service