Al Maflahi, Elhelali and Vieira advance
Mohammed Al Maflahi, Karim Elhelali and Ricardo Vieira all eased into the next round 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 overcame a stiff challenge from Shyngys Bekbergen before winning 6-4, 6-2, while Elhelali made his way past Mustafa Alhashmi 6-4, 6-4 and Vieira took things easy in a 6-2, 6-2 win against Arunkumar Salvaraj in the three matches held late evening.
In the men’s open, just one match could be held with Luka Cordas making his way past Rohit Ganeshan 6-1, 6-1, even as Faisal Khatri and Gabriel Raad advanced to the next round with walkovers from Ahmad Banammar and Faris Sadeq, respectively.
The second round of matches in both categories will be played late on Tuesday.
The annual tennis competition is being held for junior boys and girls in four separate age categories (under-12, 14, 16 and 18) and three contests for seniors - namely Men’s Open, Women’s Open and Masters (35 years and above).
Finals in all eleven categories to be held alongside 27th Al Habtoor Tennis Challenge on December 8.
This event is part of the ‘Road to Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open’ - the new community initiative developed by Mubadala in partnership with the UAE Tennis Federation, and under the umbrella of the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open.
The programme provides a unique pathway for aspiring players within the UAE to elevate their skills and make their mark on the global tennis stage. The Road to Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open series is fully sanctioned by the UAE Tennis Federation and will take place at multiple venues across Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Fujairah.
Points accumulated through the Road to Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open tournaments will not only contribute to a player’s official UAE ranking, but also to a distinct Road to Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open ranking.
At the end of the series, the top-8 players in each category will progress to a play-off system designed to determine the overall champions. The pinnacle of this competition will be witnessed during the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open in February, where the final Road to Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open will be played with the winners claiming their well-deserved titles.
Among an array of incredible prizes throughout the series, an unparalleled opportunity awaits the winners of the U14 and U16 categories – an all-expenses paid trip to train at the prestigious Juan Carlos Ferrero Academy in Spain. Renowned for nurturing some of the world’s most exceptional talents, the academy boasts an impressive group of players, including the reigning Wimbledon champion, Carlos Alcaraz.