Dominic Thiem to return to action in Abu Dhabi next month, says the tournament "offers the perfect environment" to continue his comeback
Dominic Thiem will return to action for the first time since June at the Mubadala World Tennis Championships, set to take place in Abu Dhabi from December 16 to 18. The Austrian has been sidelined for the past few months with a wrist injury.
Thiem is the third male player to be confirmed for the men's tournament after Casper Ruud and Denis Shapovalov. It remains to be seen who will occupy the remaining three spots. Rafael Nadal recently revealed that he plans to play in Abu Dhabi before the Australian Open.
Thiem's announcement does not come as much of a surprise as he had earlier expressed his desire to compete in a couple of tournaments before the Australian Open in January.
Explaining why he decided to make his comeback in Abu Dhabi, Thiem pointed out that it offers him a chance to play against the finest players on tour.
"The Championship (at Abu Dhabi) offers the perfect environment to continue my comeback and play against the top guys on tour," Thiem said in a statement issued by organizers.
The 28-year-old, who had detailed his recovery process in a recent interview, said the Mubadala World Tennis Championship fits perfectly into his plans.
"I was keen to find the right opportunity to make my return to the court and the Mubadala World Tennis Championship comes at a great time," Thiem said regarding his decision to play the tournament in Abu Dhabi.
Apart from the six-player men's tournament, the Mubadala World Tennis Championship will also feature a one-off women's match between Belinda Bencic and Emma Raducanu.
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The tournament, which will take place at the International Tennis Center in Zayed Sports City, is being organized by Flash Sports. Speaking about having Dominic Thiem in the six-man lineup in Abu Dhabi, John Lickrish, CEO of Flash Sports, said he was delighted the Austrian had decided to make his return at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship.
"Everyone knows how good a player Dominic Thiem is, especially our loyal, knowledgeable Championship fans," John Lickrish added. "We are thrilled that he has decided to choose our Championship to make his return to tennis. Once again it demonstrates the appeal of playing in Abu Dhabi at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship as a great opportunity for the worldβs best to benefit from top-class competitive action ahead of the new season.β
Lickrish also called on supporters to book their tickets at the earliest, promising a "stellar" lineup.
"With a stellar line-up that is going to be amplified by three more world-class names, I urge fans to secure their tickets now," said John Lickrish, CEO Flash Sports.