TENN360 | THE FAN'S GUIDE TO THE TOUR
tennis is more than the score.
MUBADALA ABU DHABI OPEN
Tour
WTA
Date of event
30 Jan-6 Feb 2027
Location
Abu Dhabi
Surface
Hard outdoor
Singles Title
S Bejlek
Doubles Title
E Alexandrova/M Joint
Level
500
TENN360 INSIGHT:
Abu Dhabi has managed to create a WTA event that feels distinctly modern: top-level women's tennis, winter sunshine and a proper festival atmosphere around the courts. It may not have decades of history behind it, but it has quickly established itself as one of the more polished and enjoyable stops on the calendar.
If money is no object, courtside is the obvious answer: you are close enough to appreciate just how violently these women can hit a tennis ball. For something more sensible, Category 1 gives you a reserved seat in the lower bowl on Stadium Court while also allowing access to the outer match courts. The newer 2,000-seat show court is another appealing option if you prefer intimacy to grandstand grandeur.
Excellent. This is one of the reasons I'd recommend coming early rather than simply arriving for your allocated match. There are multiple courts within the International Tennis Centre, practice sessions are part of the fan experience, and the tournament puts genuine effort into creating opportunities for fans to see and interact with the players away from the main stadium.
You want a WTA 500 with plenty happening beyond the tennis. The venue is modern, the tournament attracts a strong field and there is enough going on around the courts to turn a ticket into a full day out. Add Abu Dhabi itself — beaches, restaurants, hotels and plenty of sunshine — and you've got an unusually easy tennis holiday.
Don't treat your match ticket as a two-hour appointment. Get there early, have a wander around the Tennis Village, watch some practice and see what is happening on the outer courts before heading into the main stadium. Then stay into the evening — the combination of tennis, lights and warm Abu Dhabi air is rather hard to argue with.
Abu Dhabi in late January and early February is doing a very convincing impression of a British person's idea of summer. Days are generally warm and sunny, so sunscreen, sunglasses, a hat and plenty of water should be considered part of your tennis equipment. If the heat starts winning the argument, go for an evening session — cooler, atmospheric and considerably kinder to your complexion.
Very good. The International Tennis Centre at Zayed Sports City is straightforward to reach by car, with more than 7,000 parking spaces available around the complex. Taxis and ride-hailing are also practical options, and there are plenty of hotels within a relatively short drive. It isn't the sort of tournament where I'd worry about spending half the day trying to get to the front gate.
You're searching for the romance of an old tournament steeped in history, where the same grandstand has probably witnessed three generations of tennis fans. Abu Dhabi is newer, shinier and much more deliberately designed around the modern sporting-event experience. And if you prefer your tennis holidays with a healthy chance of rain and a slightly disappointing cup of tea, well... perhaps look north.
Power in Numbers
28
Single Draws
5,000
Centre court seat
9
Courts