ABU DHABI, UAE – 05 February 2026: Today marks a historic moment as the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open becomes the first standalone WTA event to feature wheelchair tennis, launching it’s Mubadala Wheelchair Tennis Invitational presented by the WTA Foundation at Zayed Sports City.
The three-player invitational brings together three of the world’s finest wheelchair athletes: Current World No. 1 Yui Kamiji of Japan, who has won 33 Grand Slam titles and claimed Paralympic gold medals at Paris 2024, Rio 2016, and Tokyo 2020.
Wheelchair tennis legend Jiske Griffioen of the Netherlands, a former World No. 1 with 20 Grand Slam titles, a Paralympic gold medal, and seven Masters championships. Completing the trio is María Angélica Bernal of Colombia, a former World No. 5 and multiple Parapan American Games medalist with Grand Slam achievements including a US Open semi-final and 2025 Wimbledon doubles final.
Today sees Bernal face Griffioen in the opening match, with the winner advancing to face World No. 1 Yui Kamiji in Saturday’s final, marking a significant milestone for the tournament and the wheelchair tennis community in the region.
Felipe Quintela, CEO of VLP Sports, Organisers of the Wheelchair Invitational, said: “We are thrilled to bring wheelchair tennis to Abu Dhabi. Following our first wheelchair exhibition in Rio, now in its third year, and the Next Gen event in Jeddah, our focus has turned to the women’s game. This is the first time a standalone WTA event has featured wheelchair tennis.
“We’ve assembled some of the world’s best wheelchair players, including World No. 1 Yui Kamiji, who will compete in Saturday’s final. Today pits the speed and experience of Jiske against the agility and tactical vision of Angélica – a matchup that will introduce Abu Dhabi audiences to wheelchair tennis excellence for the very first time, and I’m confident they’ll love it.”
Elsewhere, the singles quarter-finals get underway from 1pm with Clara Tauson facing McCartney Kessler on Stadium Court, followed by Sonay Kartal battling Sara Bejlek. Alexandra Eala takes on Ekaterina Alexandrova not before 5pm, with Liudmila Samsonova clashing with Hailey Baptiste in the evening. The doubles semi-finals continue the momentum, with Eala and Janice Tjen facing Cristina Bucşa and Shuai Zhang not before 7pm on ADCB Court 1.
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 Mubadala Wheelchair Tennis Invitational presented by the WTA Foundation.