The Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open lineup now includes Caroline Garcia, Marketa Vondrousova, Ashlyn Krueger, and Wakana Sonobe for the event at the International Tennis Centre in Zayed Sports City from February 1-8.
The third edition of the all-female WTA 500 event builds anticipation while its strong field gains strength from four additional players who have received wildcards with Garcia, Vondrousova and Krueger entering the main draw and Sonobe entering the qualifiers.
At 31 years old French player Garcia has claimed 11 WTA Tour singles titles and two major doubles titles at the French Open in 2016 and 2022 with partner Kristina Mladenovic.
During the 2024 season she advanced to the quarterfinals of the Toray Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo which confirmed her ability to perform consistently in top-tier tournaments. Garcia earned a WTA Finals title in 2022 while establishing a reputation for her strong baseline game which makes her a formidable competitor in Abu Dhabi.
During the 2023 Wimbledon final, Czech player Vondrousova at age 25 became history’s first unseeded woman to win a Grand Slam title by beating Ons Jabeur. She earned a silver medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics following her three-set defeat to Belinda Bencic.
The 20-year-old American rising star Krueger achieved major career progress over the past year. Her breakthrough WTA 1000 main-draw victory came in 2024 when she defeated Garcia at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.
By advancing to the third round of the US Open Krueger demonstrated her potential to compete against top players when she performs at her best. Fans will be thrilled by her aggressive playing style combined with a strong serve at the upcoming Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open.
At 17 years old Wakana Sonobe emerged as one of tennis’ most promising players when she won the girls’ singles title at the Australian Open this past Saturday.
Sonobe reached victory against USA’s Kristina Penickova by winning in straight sets within less than one hour while conceding only one game during the match.
The three players Garcia, Krueger and Sonobe will be back in Abu Dhabi after participating in the 2024 tournament.
Garcia encountered Sorana Cirstea in a tough first-round match which resulted in a three-set loss for her while Krueger was defeated by Daria Kasatkina who became the runner-up. Sonobe lost to Bernarda Pera without dropping a single set. Their return to Abu Dhabi will create captivating stories alongside top-tier tennis matches.
The Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open this year will showcase the highest level of competition by including numerous top female tennis players from around the world. Elena Rybakina returns to defend her championship title while Bencic makes her Abu Dhabi debut since her inaugural tournament victory in 2023.
The tournament field features Kasatkina, Beatriz Haddad Maia of Brazil, Spain’s Paula Badosa and Tunisia’s Jabeur who will likely receive support from local fans.
The event delivers top-tier tennis and improved fan engagement through the unprecedented Mubadala Tennis Village which covers 15,000 square meters. The event provides amenities including family-oriented activities alongside live performance shows as well as varied culinary options and engaging sports-themed interactive sessions for attendees.
Nigel Gupta, Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open Tournament Director, said: The Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open Tournament Director Nigel Gupta declared our excitement over the addition of four top players to this year’s event. Caroline and Marketa demonstrate high-level experience through their consistent track records while Ashlyn and Wakana have emerged as two new rising stars in the sport.
With less than one week remaining until the event starts we expect the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open to be the most exciting tournament yet thanks to this excellent line-up of talent.
The tournament tickets can be purchased through www.mubadalaabudhabiopen.com and fans will receive live updates from the website. The first five days of the tournament allow children to attend at no cost while adult tickets begin at Dh25.