Ons Jabeur will cap the best season of her career with a desert duel.
World No. 2 Jabeur will face 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu in defense of her Mubadala World Tennis Championship crown in Abu Dhabi on December 16th.
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Last year, Jabeur became the first Arab to contest – and win – the annual Mubadala World Tennis Championship at Zayed Sports City.
The 28-year-old faced Tokyo Olympic gold medalist Belinda Bencic in the headline women’s match and came from a set down to claim a memorable 4-6, 6-3, (10-8) victory, to the delight of a raucous crowd inside the International Tennis Centre.
“Playing in Abu Dhabi is always exciting,” Jabeur said ahead of her appearance at the three-day championship, which runs from December 16-18th. “I had a fantastic experience there in 2021 and I don’t want to lose the opportunity to defend my championship title this year.
“Aside from the match itself, I am most excited to see my fans there – I find them extremely special as they have supported me throughout every competition I have participated in this year.”
On the opposite side of the net will be Raducanu, who made history as the first qualifier, male or female, to capture a Grand Slam singles championship. Raducanu was the first player to win the US Open women’s singles title without dropping a set since Serena Williams in 2014.
“I am thrilled to finally be making my debut in Abu Dhabi,” said Raducanu. “I’ve heard great things about the fans and how supportive they are, and I can’t wait to play in front of them all.”
Photo credit: Getty
