Belinda Bencic wins Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open title

Belinda Bencic became Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open champion for the second time after coming from behind to defeat Ashlyn Krueger in Saturday's final, capping a remarkable comeback story, while Jelena Ostapenko and Ellen Perez clinched the doubles title following a dominant win over Shuai Zhang and Kristina Mladenovic.

The third edition of the WTA 500 event drew to a close in front of a sold-out crowd at the International Tennis Centre, Zayed Sports City, the culmination of eight days of world-class tennis and fantastic off-court entertainment.

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Both finalists recorded magnificent victories to secure their place in the tournament showpiece, with Bencic overturning a one-set deficit to eliminate reigning champion Elena Rybakina and Krueger defeating Linda Noskova, setting the stage for a super showdown on Stadium Court.

There was little to choose between the two players in the first set, which went with serve for the opening eight games.

With the score tied at 4-4, 20-year-old Krueger then broke her opponent, subsequently seeing out the following game, on serve, to take the lead.

If the first set was close, the second was anything but, as Bencic, 27, produced a stunning response, completely overpowering Krueger, who was playing in her first WTA 500 final, to restore parity.

Buoyed by the ruthlessness of her second-set turnaround, 2020 Olympic gold medallist Bencic picked up where she left off, quickly racing into a 3-0 lead in the third to firmly take control of the contest.

The less experienced Krueger pulled a game back, but it was little more than a temporary reprieve. There was simply no stopping Bencic, who comfortably saw out the next three games to seal a 4-6, 6-1, 6-1 victory, and a second Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open title, capping a remarkable comeback story given she only returned to action in October after taking a maternity break.

With Bencic not competing at last year's event, Saturday's victory ensures she remains undefeated at the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open, a tournament she is slowly making her own.

Bencic celebrated on-court, and even included her young daughter, Bella, in the proceedings, before collecting her trophy.

Earlier in the day, Ostapenko and Perez made light work of Zhang and Mladenovic in the doubles final, requiring just 60 minutes to secure the title in what was a very one-sided contest.

The duo reached the final without dropping a single set, and the match followed a similar theme as they blasted their opponents away in devastating fashion, cruising to a 6-2, 6-1 victory.

Elsewhere, the Road to Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open winners were crowned as the initiative, which provides a pathway for aspiring players in the UAE to enhance their skills and make an impact on the global game, reached its conclusion.

Fully sanctioned by the UAE Tennis Federation, the Road to Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open sees tournaments held for various age groups across Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Fujairah, with the respective finals taking place as part of the WTA 500 event.

For the second consecutive year, Timur Gordeev walked away with the title in the Under-16 Boys competition, while Karen John triumphed in the Girls tournament for the same age group.

At Under-14 level, Isabelle James successfully defended the title she won last year, with Alexi Rafa Aldemita winning the Boys competition.

Ryan Abou Jamra and Sophie Himmelreich, meanwhile, were the two winners in the Under- 12 category.

The event continues to make a huge impact in the local community through both the Road to Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open and Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open Schools Programme, which engaged over 25,000 children across schools in the capital.

The Programme aims to introduce youngsters to tennis in a fun and engaging way, with a host of carefully crafted assemblies held in schools across the city, reaching more than 17,000 students, the launch of nationwide art competitions and tennis sessions hosted by Tennis 360.