Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open 2026 draws record opening day crowd

At the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open 2026 on January 31, 2026.

The Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open 2026 opened in record-breaking style on Saturday (January 31), drawing the biggest opening day crowd in the tournament’s history. Thousands of fans flocked to the International Tennis Centre at Zayed Sports City for Family Day, a free-entry celebration that combined qualifying matches, the official draw ceremony and a packed programme of Tennis Village entertainment. Qualifying rounds got underway as players battled for a coveted place in the main draw of the WTA 500 tournament. But it was the afternoon draw ceremony that truly captured the crowd’s imagination. Indonesian No. 1 Janice Tjen helped conduct the official draw on the Tournament Village stage, assisted by a trained hawk that soared across the venue to deliver draw chips. The dramatic display delighted fans and added a uniquely Emirati touch to the proceedings. The draw produced several must-watch first-round matchups. Among them is an all-Spanish clash between eighth seed Paula Badosa and Jessica Bouzas Maneiro. Filipina star Alexandra Eala is set to face wildcard Zeynep Sonmez, while Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska will take on Brazil’s Beatriz Haddad Maia in what promises to be a powerful baseline battle. Top seed and defending champion Belinda Bencic received a first-round bye, as did second seed Ekaterina Alexandrova, third seed Clara Tauson and fourth seed Emma Navarro. Sunday’s Stadium Court action continues the excitement, with fifth seed Liudmila Samsonova facing 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin at 1pm. Later, wildcard Ajla Tomljanovic meets sixth seed Leylah Fernandez at 5pm. Off the court, Family Day proved hugely popular. The Tennis Village buzzed with activity as families enjoyed the Ball in Your Court activation, Baseline Arts workshops and a Community Art Wall inspired by renowned Emirati artist Mariam Al Obeidli. Children explored the Kids’ Play Area and tested their skills at the Serve n’ Strike Wall and Tennis Swing Station. Families competed in Giant Jenga, 4 in a Row, Plinko and the Grand Slam Arcade, while many collected stamps in their Mubadala Village passports as they moved between attractions. Nigel Gupta, Tournament Director at MARI, said: “The draw has set up some fascinating encounters right from the opening round. With such an exciting draw now confirmed, we're thrilled with how the week has begun and can't wait for the main draw to start tomorrow.” The Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open runs until February 7 and combines elite WTA 500 competition with community initiatives, including the Road to MADO youth pathway finals and the tournament’s first wheelchair tennis invitational. Tickets are available through Platinumlist. CAM/Expat Media