Spanish Sensation Ferrer Chases Abu Dhabi Crown

Last year’s finalist to return to Mubadala World Tennis Championship after celebrating the best season of his career

Playing on Thursday 27th December, following the opening match between Murray and Tipsarevic at 5pm

Tickets from only 100AED and selling fast at www.thinkflash.ae 

Following the most successful year of his career, Spanish sensation and fan favourite David Ferrer will head to Abu Dhabi at the end of the month in top form for the Mubadala World Tennis Championship at Zayed Sports City.

World number 5, Ferrer, will star in an unmissable opening day of the Championship when he takes on one of his closest rivals and world number 6, Tomas Berdych. The world-class duo will face each other for the first time since their epic battle in the Davis Cup Final, taking to the centre court in Abu Dhabi straight after the opening match of the tournament between Andy Murray and Janko Tipsarevic.

In a change this year, the explosive matches will start at 5pm on Thursday 27th December, when Olympic and US Open champion Murray and the Serbian world number nine Tipsarevic kick start the first of three special days of world-class action. Organizers hope the later start time compared to the 3pm in 2011, will allow fans to make their way to Zayed Sports City after work in time for the coin toss.

Speaking ahead of his Abu Dhabi return, Ferrer said:

“Personally I am very happy to finish the year in the world’s top five again and I hope to carry my form through to Abu Dhabi, which is a great tournament to begin the new season.”

The man known as ‘Le Grinder’ because of his unrivalled determination and energy ended another successful year at number five in the world, with a season-best seven ATP tournament wins, including his first victory in the Paris Masters 1000 in November. Ferrer is set to play in his third Mubadala World Tennis Championship, having made his Abu Dhabi debut in 2010 before finishing runner-up to Novak Djokovic in the Capital last year. David said:

“Playing Tomas is always tough; I’m at five in the world and he’s at six. We’ve played nine times now and it’s always close, so the crowd in Abu Dhabi will be in for a memorable night on day one. We’re playing for a place in the semi-final against Novak and that’s a huge incentive to perform and play the best early in the season.” He continued “Getting to the final last year was a great way to start the new season ahead of the Australian Open. I hope I can go one better this year and I’ll be giving my all for the crowd at Zayed Sports City, as I always do”.

A win for Ferrer would mean a semi-final on Friday 28th December with the man who beat him in last year’s final, world number one Novak Djokovic. The full match schedule is available on the tournament official website.

More details about the Championship’s expanded Tennis Village, including the hugely popular live entertainment, family picnic area and Interactive Zone, will be revealed shortly.

The Mubadala World Tennis Championship runs from 27th December to 29th December 2012 and tickets are available at www.thinkflash.ae or call 800 FLASH (35274).

For more information visit: www.mubadalawtc.com.

Emirate:  Abu Dhabi

Date: Dec 19, 2012

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