These successful Arab women will shine bright in Abu Dhabi in February

They’re excelling both on and off court…

World-class tennis action is ready to commence in the capital on February 3, at the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open. That’s only over a week away, right here at Abu Dhabi’s Zayed Sports City.

Shining bright in Abu Dhabi will be a number of successful Arab women. Firstly, the current world no. 6 from Tunisia and two-time Wimbledon finalist, Ons Jabeur, will be competing as the first confirmed name in the main draw. With her powerful groundstrokes and fighting spirit, Ons will bring her experience on the big stage to the capital’s own WTA-500 tournament.

Earlier this week, Saudi Arabia’s first female professional tennis player, Yara Al Hogbani was awarded a wild card to the tournament in Abu Dhabi. Yara turned professional at only 14 years of age, and became the first-ever Saudi Arabian woman to win a professional tennis event in 2022.

The inspiring Emirati quartet

Supporting all the action on court will be an inspiring Emirati quartet with a diverse skill set. Azza Al Qubaisi, a past winner of the British Council Young Creative Entrepreneur Awards and Emirates Woman of the Year Awards, will design the trophy that this year’s Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open champion will lift after the final on February 11. There’s also Hind Al Raeesi, who will be using her expertise as a professional photographer to capture images of competitors and key figures at the tournament in Abu Dhabi. Hind was the Saudi Arabia football team’s official photographer during the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, and has also worked with Manchester City football club.

Thirdly, there’s artist Aysha Al Shamsi, who’s designed the master artwork for the Mubadala Pavilion at the tournament. Self-taught and driven by a goal to make art more accessible to the masses, Aysha’s art honours Abu Dhabi’s legacy while blending it with title sponsor Mubadala’s achievements. The Emirati quartet is completed by chef Meera Al Naqbi, whose career highlights including working at a Michelin star restaurant in Croatia. Meera will bring her experience to the table in Abu Dhabi, creating dishes for players and spectators at this year’s tournament.

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