The second round of matches will be contested on Tuesday.
Mohammed Al Maflahi, Karim Elhelali, and Ricardo Vieira all advanced to the next stage of the Over-35 Masters Open competition at the 9th Al Habtoor Tennis Cup, held at the HUBB Tennis Academy in Silicon Oasis, late on Monday. Al Maflahi triumphed over Shyngys Bekbergen with a 6-4, 6-2 victory, while Elhelali defeated Mustafa Alhashmi 6-4, 6-4. Vieira had an easy 6-2, 6-2 win against Arunkumar Salvaraj in the evening's matches.
In the men’s open category, only one match was completed, with Luka Cordas defeating Rohit Ganeshan 6-1, 6-1. Meanwhile, Faisal Khatri and Gabriel Raad progressed to the next round due to walkovers from Ahmad Banammar and Faris Sadeq, respectively.
The second round of matches in both categories is scheduled for late Tuesday. The annual tennis competition features junior boys and girls in four age groups (under-12, 14, 16, and 18) and three senior contests: Men’s Open, Women’s Open, and Masters (35 years and above). The finals in all eleven categories will take place alongside the 27th Al Habtoor Tennis Challenge on December 8.
This event is part of the ‘Road to Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open’, a community initiative developed by Mubadala in collaboration with the UAE Tennis Federation. The program offers a unique pathway for aspiring players in the UAE to enhance their skills and compete on the global tennis stage. The Road to Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open series, fully sanctioned by the UAE Tennis Federation, will be held at various venues across Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Fujairah.
Points earned through these tournaments contribute to both the official UAE ranking and a distinct Road to Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open ranking. At the end of the series, the top-8 players in each category will compete in a play-off system to determine the overall champions. The climax of this competition will be during the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open in February, where the final Road to Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open will be played, with winners claiming their titles.
Among the series' incredible prizes, the winners of the U14 and U16 categories will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to train at the prestigious Juan Carlos Ferrero Academy in Spain. Known for nurturing world-class talents, the academy has produced players like the reigning Wimbledon champion, Carlos Alcaraz.
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