Resuming his role as Mubadala World Tennis Championship ambassador, Australian tennis legend Pat Cash launched the tournament’s community programmes with a tennis clinic for school children from 20 schools and their physical education teachers.

The two community programs, Mubadala Tennis in Schools and the Mubadala Community Cup, aim to ensure a legacy for tennis in the UAE.

The Mubadala Tennis in Schools program returns again in 2014 and for the first time, has been extended to run throughout the school year from October to May.

A programme which has already introduced thousands of UAE youngsters to the sport of tennis, Mubadala Tennis in Schools gives young people the opportunity to take their first swings in the sport whilst promoting a healthy lifestyle for the next generation by delivering equipment and coaching sessions to 20 schools across Abu Dhabi.

This year, the focus will continue to be on developing tennis amongst Emirati children who will be given more opportunities to practice their skills with UAE coaches visiting each school four times. At the end of the program, 40 children – two from each participating school – will be invited to display their newly acquired talents on centre court during the Championship.

The Mubadala Community Cup returns to see tennis fans of all ages compete to win a once in a lifetime tennis clinic with a star player during the Championship itself. 

Cash said he was delighted to be a part of the development of young tennis players in the UAE.

"I’m excited to continue to play a part in growing the game in the region and inspiring new stars, through the tournament’s community programmes," said the 1987 Wimbledon champion. 

"It’s something close to my heart and I’ve been fortunate enough to share my knowledge back home in London and Australia at my own tennis academy, so I hope I can continue to have a positive contribution here, too.”

Following the success of the previous year, the latest instalment will see the return of Mubadala Community Cup’s inter-Emirate play-off when winners from Abu Dhabi compete with winners from Dubai during the Mubadala World Tennis Championship in January.

Registration is now open at www.mubadalawtc.com with a new category added for coaches.

Nadine Saleh Hassan, Head of Social Development and Partnerships at Mubadala, the title sponsor of the tournament, said: “Once again the line-up for the Mubadala World Tennis Championship is hugely exciting with the world’s best players returning to Abu Dhabi.

"We believe that young people are the most important part of the UAE’s development and hope that the world’s elite tennis players and our community programs continue to serve as an inspiration for Emirati youth to live fit and active lives.”