Novak Djokovic set to make debut at 2012 World Tennis Championships in Abu Dhabi – Tennis News
Serbian tennis player and 2011 Wimbledon Champion Novak Djokovic will make his debut at the 2011 World Tennis Championships, which would take place in Abu Dhabi from December 29 to 31, 2011. The Abu Dhabi International Tennis Complex
at Zayed Sports City would be a heaven for tennis fans as all six participating players fall in the top ten-world rankings. Debutant Djokovic, ranking at number 1 would join five other tennis sensations.
He will play against former Wimbledon Champion and sixteen time Grand Slam winner, Roger Federer (Switzerland: world number 4); King of Clay Rafael Nadal (Spain: world number 2); David Ferrer (Spain: world number 4); French sensation
Jo-Wilfred Tsonga (world number 9); and Gael Monfils (France: world number 10). All six players fall into the top-ten world rankings and would embrace Abu Dhabi with their smashing shots – attracting fans and media alike. These tennis greats would battle it
out on an outdoor hard-court surface for a prize of $250,000 under the open Emirates’ sky.
Andy Murray (Britain), currently at world number 3, will not be taking part in this year’s event, however, he was part of the inaugural World Tennis Championships held in January 2009. The format of the tournament, based on a
single elimination match series, will witness one player eliminating from the tournament in each game. The last two remaining players will meet in the final on December 31, 2011. The consolation matches to determine the 3rd and 4th place in the event will
also take place the same day.
The inaugural World Tennis Championships, held in 2009 featured Nikolay Davydenko (Ukraine), Andy Roddick (America), James Blake (America), Andy Murray, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. Murray was the inaugural champion when he
defeated Rafael Nadal, 6–4, 5–7, 6–3. In the second edition of the World Tennis Championships held in 2010, Davydenko, Federer and Nadal were joined by David Ferrer, Robin Soderling (Sweden) and Stanislas Wawrinka (Switzerland). Soderling met Nadal in the
final but the Spaniard Nadal won the Championship 7–6(3), 7–5. In 2011 event, the third edition of the Championships, Soderling, Federer and defending champion Nadal entered the event with Jo-Wilfred Tsonga, Marcos Baghdatis (Cyprus) and Tomas Berdych (Czech
Republic). Long time rivals Nadal and Federer squared off in the finals where Nadal successfully defended his title, 7–6(4), 7–6(3).
The 2012 World Tennis Championships would be one interesting event as the reigning Wimbledon Champion, Djokovic, would be entering the event for the first time. Nadal has dominated the event by winning two Championships out of
the three held but Djokovic has the experience and ability to play on hard-court surfaces. He is the winner of the 2008 and 2011 Australian Open and is the reigning champion of the 2011 US Open where both tournaments are hard-court surface events therefore
he can be an intimidating opponent for the other five participants. Djokovic would want to engrave his name in the World Tennis Championships after winning six Grand Slam events.
The dream final at the World Tennis Championships would be Nadal to face Djokovic. Only time would tell who will become World Champion in Abu Dhabi.
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