ABU DHABI, UAE – 03 February 2026: Less than a week ago, China’s Zhang Shuai was lifting her third women’s doubles Grand Slam title in the Australian Open alongside Belgium’s Elise Mertens, now she’s stepped foot in the United Arab Emirates for the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open, presented by Abu Dhabi Sports Council, with her sights set on additional silverware.
The 19-time WTA title winner is excited to return to this family-friendly tournament in the UAE capital. She said: “I’m so happy to be back. The first time I played here in Abu Dhabi in 2023, I won the doubles tournament with Luisa Stefani and then last year I made it to the final with Kiki (Mladenovic).
“The trophy is so beautiful which is why I had so much motivation to come back here for a third time and play with Cristina Bucsa who’s my very good friend. We will have a lot of fun on court and give our best.
Zhang has a fantastic record in Mubadala-sponsored events. Last summer, alongside Taylor Townsend, they closed out the Mubadala Citi DC Open title with a 6-1, 6-1 win over Caroline Dolehide and Sofia Kenin in just 48 minutes. The 37 year old feels Mubadala, a major Abu Dhabi-based sovereign investor, brings her good fortune when she competes in events they are involved in.
“When I won the final in the summer in DC, people were asking if I was coming to Abu Dhabi in January. I said,’Of course! Are you crazy!?’ This is a tournament you must play in. I didn’t want to miss out and have to wait a year until 2027 to compete in this fantastic event.”
Tomorrow (Wednesday), Zhang Shuai will play alongside Spain’s Cristina Bucsa against Ukrainian twin sisters Lyudmyla Kichenok and Nadiia Kichenok at 11AM on Stadium Court.
The Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open runs through 7 February 2026, blending WTA 500 action with community initiatives, including the Road to MADO youth pathway finals and the tournament’s inaugural wheelchair tennis invitational, presented by the WTA Foundation, which starts on Thursday 5 February.