By Mike McIntyre
It might seem like an unusual place to kickoff the start of the tennis season, but for three days this week some of the biggest names in men's tennis will display their skills in Abu Dhabi. The second most populous city in the United Arab Emirates is hosting the inaugural Capitala World Tennis Championships to enhance the visibility of the sport in the country. As the tournament website (http://www.capitalawtc.com/) mentions, "the event aims to raise awareness of the benefits of tennis and the importance of an active healthy lifestyle, whilst also leaving a legacy for the community beyond the tournament."
Six top ranked players including Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer are competing in a single-elimination tournament format with a winner-take-all prize of $250,000. The tournament slogan is, "Six Stars. Three Days. One Champ." Apart from the world number one and two players, Nikolay Davydenko, Andy Murray, Andy Roddick, and James Blake complete the stellar field.
On top of boasting these six top-ranked stars, the tournament offers a fantastic tennis venue that would rival many regular ATP facilities. The Abu Dhabi International Tennis Complex (http://www.tennis.ae/) was built in 2004 and demonstrates the willingness of the UAE to attract a high level of visibility from corporate sponsors, tennis fans and the media alike. Centre court seats up to 5,000 spectators and has a media gallery that fits 100 and simultaneously allows for a view of the practice courts. For the price of approximately $4000 US, businesses can have seating for ten that includes tickets to all three days of competition, a lunch buffet and complimentary bar. The tennis stadium is just one part of an impressive sporting hub in the heart of Abu Dhabi. Also located nearby is the Zayed Sports Stadium, the Abu Dhabi ice rink, a state-of-the-art aquatic centre and a 40 lane world class bowling facility.
On Thursday the tournament got under way with Davydenko defeating Roddick 6-4, 6-4 and another American defeat as Murray easily dispatched Blake 6-2, 6-2. Both Nadal and Federer received automatic bye's to the semi finals on Friday. Nadal will face Davydenko, while Federer attempts to take down Murray in a rematch of their Masters Cup showdown in November. The Swiss will no doubt be eager to reverse the results of that match where Murray prevailed 4-6, 7-6(3), 7-5. Give home-court advantage to Federer, as for several years he has made the Emirates his destination of choice for off-season training.
Along with the existing ATP tournaments in Dubai and Doha, Qatar, the Middle East is quickly displaying a knack for enticing some of the world's biggest tennis stars and hosting first rate events. The region is also hosting the WTA season ending championships from 2008-2010. The Capitala World Tennis Championship concludes this Saturday and should give us a glimpse of who is ready to make a statement at the start of the season. Despite being an exhibition tournament, with $250,000 on the line I expect quite a competitive few days in Abu Dhabi.
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