Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic confirm first appearances of 2019 season
Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic have both been confirmed to appear at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship in Abu Dhabi next month.
Mubadala is an exhibition event starting on December 27, and will provide the world’s top two players their first taste of action for next season.
They will be joined by a stellar supporting cast of Kevin Anderson, Hyeon Chung, Dominic Thiem, and Karen Khachanov.
Thiem and Khachanov will play each other for the right to face Djokovic in the semi-final.
Anderson and Chung, meanwhile, will battle it out to take on Nadal in the last four.
Nadal’s participation may still be determined by injury, however, with the Spaniard undergoing ankle surgery earlier this month.
It forced him to pull out of the ATP Tour finals in London and although he plans to make his comeback in Abu Dhabi, whether he will be able to remains to be seen.
Mubadala World Tennis Championship full schedule
Dec 27:
Kevin Anderson vs Hyeon Chung
Dominic Thiem vs Karen Khachanov
Dec 28:
Fifth place play-off
Rafael Nadal vs Anderson/Chung
Novak Djokovic vs Thiem/Khachanov
Dec 29:
Third place play-off
Final
