Running from February 17 to March 23 at Zayed Sports City, Abu Dhabi, entry numbers have already been encouraging but there’s still time to see for yourself why it’s highly-rated, with registration closing on February 13.

Now in its fifth edition, the event has gone from strength to strength and is now the largest participation-based competition in the region.

Whether you’re an intermediate or an experienced player, there are different categories (singles and doubles) to choose from, with 20 divisions on the agenda ranging from Under-8 to Men’s Veterans 40+.

Last year more than 300 vied for glory and organisers are expecting an even bigger turnout this time round. “The Abu Dhabi Wilson Tennis Cup has been a huge success since it started,” said Barry Bremner, general manager at ZSC.

“I remember the first year was a real challenge to schedule all of the matches because the response far exceeded our initial expectations. Since then we have a much better understanding of the demand for such a tournament and have made arrangements for 500 entries to be accepted.”

Sanctioned by Tennis Emirates, matches will be played in a knockout format on the very same courts that World No1 and two-time Wimbledon winner Andy Murray and 14-time grand slam champion Rafa Nadal played on in the Mubadala World Tennis Championship a few weeks ago.

“Our objective in creating the Abu Dhabi Wilson Tennis Cup is to place a high calibre event in the Abu Dhabi sports calendar which raises the profile of tennis in the UAE,” said Bremner.

“It gives amateurs a competitive platform to improve and encourages participation in the sport.

“There are currently limited opportunities to compete in tennis in the region, and even less to play in a tournament that has such flexibility to really challenge yourself like this one does.”

The competition will see 24 champions crowned with an attractive prize of up to Dh18,000  available but Bremner insists that shouldn’t be the main reason why people should compete.

“It’s inevitable that this will be the first tournament for some of the participants in all of the age groups,” he said. “It’s meant to be inclusive and give everyone a chance to challenge themselves. Anyone who considers themselves a tennis player will get something positive out of the event. The biggest attraction for players is that it’s all about participation and development. The Open is for advanced players, while the Cup is for social and recreational participants. The standard of play is great but the sportsmanship and fair play components are also very important. This combination provides a great all-around tennis experience for people of all abilities within a fantastic facility.”

WHAT: Abu Dhabi Wilson Tennis Cup
WHERE: Zayed Sports City, Abu Dhabi
WHEN: February 17 to March 23
CONTACT: For more information, visit www.abudhabiwilsontenniscup.com