Murray eyes Mubadala World Tennis Championship crown

Abu Dhabi - The Scotsman will return to Abu Dhabi for a fifth time

World No. 1 and two-time Olympic Champion Andy Murray has his sights firmly set on Abu Dhabi and the new season as he prepares for the Mubadala World Tennis Championship (MWTC) fresh off the back of this ATP World Tour win last night.
Murray, who beat Novak Djokovic in straight sets this weekend to clinch the ATP World Tour title, received a bye to what promises to be a blockbuster of a Day Two at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship which takes place Dec. 29 - 31, 2016 at the International Tennis Centre, Zayed Sports City.
When the ATP World Tour Champion makes his first appearance on-court at the ninth MWTC it will be to face the winner of the tournament's opening match between Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Belgian David Goffin.
The Scotsman will return to Abu Dhabi for a fifth time and in the form of his life after a showstopper of a 2016 season. He sealed a record fifth Queen's Club Championship, served fellow MWTC player Milos Raonic a loss in straight sets to take his second Wimbledon Championship and represented Great Britain at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, becoming the first player in history to win two gold medals in tennis singles events.
He took on Tsonga at the Erste Bank Open final, winning it to mark his seventh title in a single season for the first time in his career. At the Paris Masters, Murray became the first British man to reach World No. 1 since the introduction of rankings in 1973, knocking Novak Djokovic off the top spot he had held since July, 2014.
Jetting into Abu Dhabi, his next pursuit of glory begins Dec. 30 on Center Court when he hopes to join Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal in the three-time MWTC winners club, having already won two titles himself (2009 and 2015). The final will take place on Dec. 31.
Speaking ahead of the tennis action in the capital, where he tops a star-studded line-up including World No. 4 Milos Raonic, defending champion Rafael Nadal, Tomas Berdych, David Goffin and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Murray said:
"I'm now taking some time to rest before shifting focus to the next season, which for me starts in Abu Dhabi. I've played Tsonga and Goffin a couple of times this season and I know that a final for me in Abu Dhabi certainly isn't a given. I'll be watching their day one match closely to see what game they've brought to the tournament as players tend to try new things there. It's a chance to experiment and put what you've been working on in the off-season to the test against some great players, which is what makes it such an exciting tournament."
Murray confirmed he would take part in the MWTC in September, via a young Emirati fan who contacted him on social media asking him to attend. Andy commented:
"I receive a lot of comments from fans on social media asking me to come back to Abu Dhabi each year. Tennis fans in the UAE are always so supportive when I play, and they have a real passion for the sport. One of the things I know that all the players enjoy about the tournament is being able to meet fans and spend time with promising young players away from the action on centre court as well."
Murray's mother, Judy Murray, shares her son's commitment to growing the sport globally. A passionate advocate for tennis who has coached some of the top players in the women's game, she will attend MWTC this year. She will be hosting a community clinic at the event, with more details to be revealed over the coming weeks.
The unique combination of a 'winner takes all' prize of $250,000, the world's best players and a Championship format that means all matches are the equivalent of the final rounds of a Grand Slam means a New Year's Eve experience not to missed. In addition to the sensational displays of tennis, the Mubadala World Tennis Championship boasts exciting off-court action in the Tennis Village, where players will be conducting coaching tennis clinics and signing autographs.