ABU DHABI, UAE – 31 January 2026: The Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open delivered a record-breaking start today as the biggest opening day crowd in tournament history descended on the International Tennis Centre, Zayed Sports City, for Family Day – the free-entry celebration that combined qualifying action, the official draw ceremony, and a full programme of Tennis Village entertainment.
As an action-packed Saturday unfolded, qualifying rounds got underway with players battling for a place in the main draw, while the afternoon’s centrepiece arrived as Indonesian No.1 Janice Tjen helped conduct the official draw ceremony on the Tournament Village stage, assisted by a trained hawk that soared through the venue to deliver draw chips in a display that delighted fans.
Several intriguing first-round encounters emerged from the ceremony, including an all-Spanish showdown between eighth seed Paula Badosa and Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, while Filipina star Alexandra Eala faces wildcard Zeynep Sonmez on Monday. Ukrainian talent Dayana Yastremska will take on Brazil’s Beatriz Haddad Maia in what promises to be a hard-hitting baseline battle. Top seed and defending champion Belinda Bencic receives a first-round bye, as do second seed Ekaterina Alexandrova, third seed Clara Tauson, and fourth seed Emma Navarro.
Sunday’s order of play promises an action-packed day on Stadium Court. The pick of the action sees fifth seed Liudmila Samsonova take on 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin at 1:00 PM, followed by wildcard Ajla Tomljanovic’s clash with sixth seed Leylah Fernandez at 5:00 PM.
Away from the action on the court, Family Day proved hugely popular with fans of all ages, who took advantage of free entry to experience the full tournament atmosphere. The Tennis Village buzzed with activity 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.
Children explored the dedicated Kids’ Play Area, tested their skills at the Serve n’ Strike Wall and Tennis Swing Station, while families competed at Giant Jenga, 4 in a Row, Plinko and the Grand Slam Arcade. Many fans collected stamps in their Mubadala Village passports as they moved between activations.
Nigel Gupta, Tournament Director at MARI, said: “The draw has set up some fascinating encounters right from the opening round, and revealing those match-ups with the hawk was a moment that really captured the imagination of everyone in attendance. Family Day has become such an important part of this tournament, bringing together competitive qualifying action with families enjoying everything the Tennis Village has to offer. 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 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.
Tickets are available now at Platinumlist.