The list of hotly-anticipated events to look forward to in the UAE in December goes on: First, there’s the return of Sole DXB following a pandemic-induced hiatus, then there’s the Dubai Super Cup, and now, the inaugural World Tennis League (WTL), a first-of its kind sport and entertainment festival, is the latest addition to Dubai’s jampacked event calendar. Set to take place at the Coca-Cola Arena from Dec. 19 to 24, the new event is set to marry tennis and music together for five-days of round-robin style tournaments during the day and can’t-miss concerts at night.
The six-day event will be headlined by reigning Wimbledon champions Novak Djokovic and Elena Rybakina, women’s World No 1 Iga Świątek, Wimbledon finalist Nick Kyrgios, and Indian icons Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna. Meanwhile, in the entertainment side of things, fans can expect head-bopping performances from the likes of Dutch DJ stars Tiësto and Armin van Buuren, alongside Wizkid, Ne-Yo, Mohamed Ramadan, and Deadmau5.
Scott Davidoff, CEO of World Tennis League, said: “The World Tennis League is unlike any other tennis event in the world, as it not only gives spectators the opportunity to see many household names that they might have only ever seen before on television, but then to party into the night with world famous music acts.”
“As a former junior player myself, it’s amazing to witness the world of sport and entertainment coming together. I am even ready to dust-off my tennis racquet and jump on-court should a substitute be needed!” added Mark Jan Kar, General Manager, Coca-Cola Arena, ASM Global (Asia Pacific, India and Middle East).
The grand finale of the tournament will be held on Christmas Eve (Dec. 24), with the winners being crowned champions of the inaugural World Tennis League. Each session will feature a men’s and women’s singles match, as well as a mixed doubles showdown consisting of two sets and a tiebreaker, if necessary.
Djokovic, who holds 21 singles crowns, also expressed his excitement for the upcoming World Tennis League, stating “This new event is exciting, there’s no doubt about it. I absolutely love playing in Dubai, I’ve had a lot of success there over the years and really enjoy the fans. This is something different, and it’s going to be great being a part of it.”
