Bencic wins Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open title for second time

Photo: WAM

Swiss tennis star Belinda Bencic made an incredible comeback to win the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open for the second time. In a thrilling final, Bencic came from behind to defeat Ashlyn Krueger, capping off a stunning story. Meanwhile, Jelena Ostapenko and Ellen Perez triumphed in the doubles category, securing a dominant win over Shuai Zhang and Kristina Mladenovic.

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The third edition of this WTA 500 event wrapped up in front of a packed crowd at the International Tennis Centre in Zayed Sports City, marking the end of eight days filled with high-quality tennis and great off-court entertainment.

Both Bencic and Krueger made impressive journeys to the final, with Bencic coming back from a set down to beat defending champion Elena Rybakina, and Krueger defeating Linda Noskova. The stage was set for an exciting showdown.

The first set was closely contested, with both players holding serve until it was 4-4. At that point, Krueger managed to break Bencic’s serve and won the next game to take the lead. But in the second set, Bencic turned the match around completely. She played with incredible power, dominating Krueger, who was competing in her first WTA 500 final. Bencic leveled the match by winning the second set 6-1.

Confident from her strong second set, Bencic quickly raced to a 3-0 lead in the third. Krueger fought back and won a game, but Bencic was unstoppable, taking the next three games in quick succession to claim a 4-6, 6-1, 6-1 victory. This win marked her second Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open title, which is even more special as she only returned to tennis in October after a maternity break.

With this win, Bencic remains unbeaten at the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open. She celebrated on court, sharing the moment with her daughter Bella, before receiving her trophy from several distinguished guests.

In the doubles final earlier in the day, Ostapenko and Perez were dominant, finishing off Zhang and Mladenovic 6-2, 6-1 in just 60 minutes. The pair had not dropped a set throughout the tournament, and today’s match followed a similar pattern, with Ostapenko and Perez playing flawless tennis.

Homaid Al Shimmari, Deputy Group CEO at Mubadala Investment Company, congratulated the winners and highlighted the importance of the event in promoting women’s tennis and inspiring the next generation. Aref Al Awani, General Secretary of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, also praised the tournament’s success and the impact it has had on developing tennis in the UAE, especially with many school students attending the event.

In other news, the Road to Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open competition, which helps young players in the UAE improve their skills, also came to a close. Timur Gordeev won the Under-16 Boys title for the second year in a row, and Karen John claimed the Girls title in the same age group. Isabelle James and Alexi Rafa Aldemita won the Under-14 titles, and Ryan Abou Jamra and Sophie Himmelreich triumphed in the Under-12 categories.

The Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open continues to make a positive impact in the local community, especially through its Schools Program, which reached over 25,000 students. This program introduces kids to tennis in a fun way, with tennis-themed activities, art competitions, and school assemblies.

Fans also enjoyed the Mubadala Tennis Village, a popular space for relaxing, eating, and taking part in activities. The village had five districts filled with entertainment, and the music performances by Dan Moores and Chelsey Duo added to the vibrant atmosphere, making this year’s event truly unforgettable.