Aside from producing a thrilling three-day tennis tournament to kick-start the new season, one of the main aims of the Mubadala World Tennis Championship is to introduce the game to a new generation of young talent in the UAE.
The success of the tournament in the years to come will go hand-in-hand with interest in the sport on its front door, Abu Dhabi.
Organisers therefore need to engage youngsters and to that end do very good work in the local region around the tournament, as they involve the players themselves and their coaches in their community programmes.
In making sure the tournament continues to hold their attention and grow in popularity though, the organisers must also look to the future.
The line-up they have produced this year is packed with more quality than in any of the previous four tournaments – even with the omission of Roger Federer.
The exact reason for Federer’s absence remains unclear with organisers IMG insisting the decision was taken to celebrate the event’s former champions, while looking forward, and not because he left their management alongside his agent Tony Godsick in June.
Of course it will be a shame not to see the Swiss master’s sublime skills at the International Tennis Complex, but his place has not been taken by a bunch of nobodies.
Three of the last four Grand Slam winners – Andy Murray, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic – will be in action at Zayed Sports City. Perhaps, crucially, they are also the three who should go on to dominate future Slams, and therefore hold the attention of the very youngsters they come into contact with in the Capital.
Moreover, an added air of excitement will be given to the event by the return to action of Nadal. The 11-time Grand Slam winner has not played since Wimbledon in June, and this will be his first chance to test his troublesome left knee as he bids to regain the Australian Open he won in 2009.
The Spaniard’s participation in Melbourne had been questioned before yesterday’s announcement so for his comeback to be in the UAE is something of a coup.
Looking past Mubadala’s big three it is clear the depth of quality is also higher than in previous editions. For the first time all six players are ranked in the current world top 10, and on form.
David Ferrer led a Nadal-less Spain to the final of the Davis Cup, Tomas Berdych was instrumental in ensuring the Czech Republic are there to face them, and Janko Tipsarevic climbed into the top 10 for the first time in his career. Ferrer and Berdych also both made the semi-finals at the US Open, beaten by Djokovic and Murray respectively, meaning all four of the semi-finalists from the last Grand Slam will be in Abu Dhabi.
In short, these are players at the top of their games – all six have enjoyed 42 or more wins in 2012 – and injury permitting they will be the players to beat in 2013 too.
Federer is arguably the game’s greatest player but he represents its past. In order to grow the game in the Emirates, the MWTC has rightly embraced its future.
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