ABU DHABI, UAE – 01 February 2026: Thousands of excited spectators headed to Zayed Sports City for the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open, soaking up elite women’s tennis and a full day of activities beyond the court such as a WTA panel discussion, blind food tasting with Philippines superstar Alex Eala and a full programme of Tennis Village entertainment.
In celebration of Kids Day, where children get free access from today until Wednesday 04 February, there was lots of fun activities to play, as well as music performances and roaming acts such as unicyclist jugglers. On the courts, fans got the opportunity to watch some elite Round of 32 matches with the highlights being Luidimila Samdonova’s thrilling straight-sets victory against Sofia Kenin and Leylah Fernandez’s emphatic performance against Lucky Loser Chloe Pacquet.
Samsonova, the 2023 Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open finalist, was in terrific form winning 6-4, 6-0 against Sofia Kenin. The 27 year old was delighted with her victory and the chance to participate again in this tournament. She said: “I love playing in Abu Dhabi. The Middle East feels like a second home to me and this is an event I always enjoy competing in.”
Fernandez, the winner of last summer’s Mubadala Citi DC Open, is thrilled to be in the UAE capital competing in the tournament. The 23 year old said after her 6-0, 6-3 triumph: “I really enjoy this tournament. The fans, the volunteers and the vibe is super positive. From the moment we land, they greet us with a big smile and give us a five star service. We love coming here and you can see how much the fans in the UAE love their sports.”
Away from the court, Belinda Bencic took part in a photoshoot in the Stadium Court ahead of her title defence this week at a tournament she’s got an impeccable record at. In the afternoon, there was a Shangri La Blind Food Tasting challenge with Samsonova and Filipina fans’ favourite Alex Eala on the main stage and a WTA Panel Discussion featuring Barbora Krejčíková and Tournament Emcee Monica Puig in the Mubadala Hospitality Pavilion.
As part of celebrating the strong ties with the State of Kuwait, the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open hosted a series of special activations reflecting the depth of the long-standing relationship between the two countries, as part of a nationwide celebration week running from 29 January 2026 across the UAE.
The activations included complimentary access for the first 100 Kuwaiti nationals to the tournament stands through Category Two tickets, alongside performances by a traditional folkloric group and a range of interactive activities within the tournament Village, including face painting and children’s workshops. The celebrations brought together sport and culture in a vibrant atmosphere, allowing fans to mark the occasion from the heart of the tennis stands.
Kids Day was a hit with fans of all ages as they soaked up the full tournament atmosphere. The Tennis Village was buzzing throughout the day as families enjoyed the Ball in Your Court activation, Baseline Arts workshops and the Community Art Wall inspired by renowned Emirati artist Mariam Al Obeidli.
Nigel Gupta, Tournament Director at MARI, said: “Kids Day perfectly captures the spirit of the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open – bringing families together and creating memorable experiences on and off the court. Phillipines star Alexandra Eala is an action tomorrow (Monday) night so we expect huge crowds for that. We can’t wait for an thrilling week of tennis ahead.”
The headline fixtures to look out for tomorrow (Monday) are Spanish sensation Paula Badosa taking on Aliaksandra Sasnovich at 11AM on Stadium Court, followed by Indonesian talent Janice Tjen against Maya Joint. After 5PM, qualifier Oksana Selekhmeteva will face defending Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open doubles and French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko and the day will conclude with the highlight fixture of the day – Alexandra Eala against Zeynep Sonmez.
The Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open continues through 7 February 2026, combining WTA 500 competition with community programming including the Road to MADO youth pathway finals and the tournament’s first wheelchair tennis invitational presented by WTA Foundation.
Tickets are available now at Platinumlist