Key Highlights
- The Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open saw the historic debut of wheelchair tennis.
- Clara Tauson, Sara Bejlek, Ekaterina Alexandrova, and Hailey Baptiste advanced to the semifinals.
- Erika Eala and Janice Tjen secured a victory in doubles for the semi-finals.
- The inaugural Mubadala Wheelchair Tennis Invitational marked a milestone for wheelchair tennis events.
Wheelchair Tennis Makes Its Mark at Abu Dhabi Open
And what an historic week it was! The Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open is now the first WTA event to feature wheelchair tennis, and boy, did it deliver. Not always. But in this case, the debut of wheelchair tennis was nothing short of groundbreaking.
The Semifinalists
But let’s start with who made it through the quarterfinals. Clara Tauson, Sara Bejlek, Ekaterina Alexandrova, and Hailey Baptiste all secured their places in the semifinals. Not always.
Tauson beat McCartney Kessler impressively, while Czech qualifier Bejlek swept British No. 2 Sonay Kartal. So far, so good.
High-Intensity Doubles
So, what about the doubles? Erika Eala and Janice Tjen delivered an impressive performance against Cristina Bucşa and Shuai Zhang in straight sets. “We were trying to be aggressive and have fun,” said Eala. “When you have a good relationship with your partner, you’re not afraid to go with your gut.” And that’s exactly what they did.
Invitational Milestone
Yet the real highlight was the inaugural Mubadala Wheelchair Tennis Invitational presented by the WTA Foundation. Jiske Griffioen of the Netherlands secured her place in Saturday’s final against world No. 1 Yui Kamiji of Japan, defeating Maria Angélica Bernal of Colombia.
Community Engagement
And on top of all that, away from the main draw action, wheelchair tennis stars hosted a clinic with Heroes of Hope—a non-profit sports academy in the UAE. Children were welcomed onto the court for an unforgettable experience. Not always, but this was one of those moments where you couldn’t help but feel proud.
Looking Ahead
So, what’s next? The semifinals will be held on Friday with some compelling matchups. Mihalikova and Nicholls face Eala and Tjen on Stadium Court.
Baptiste takes on Alexandrova in singles, followed by Bejlek clashing with Tauson. On ADCB Court 1, Kenin and Krawczyk battle Alexandrova and Maya Joint in the other doubles semifinal. The Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open final is set for Saturday, February 7.
