The International Tennis Centre, also known as Abu Dhabi International Tennis Complex, is a sports
arena
An arena is a large enclosed platform, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theatre, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators ...
in
Abu Dhabi,
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates (UAE; ar, اَلْإِمَارَات الْعَرَبِيَة الْمُتَحِدَة ), or simply the Emirates ( ar, الِْإمَارَات ), is a country in Western Asia ( The Middle East). It is located at t ...
.
The complex opened in 2004 as part of the
Zayed Sports City
Zayed Sports City Stadium ( ar, ستاد مدينة زايد الرياضية) is a multi-purpose stadium located in Zayed Sports City, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
The largest stadium in the UAE with 45,000 seats, it has iconic status and ...
. It has a
seating capacity
Seating capacity is the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, in terms of both the physical space available, and limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that ...
of 5,000 on Centre Court and 600 on Court 2. The sports city features three other major sporting and leisure facilities.
Construction
The idea for a sporting complex in Abu Dhabi was brought up by Sheikh
Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan ( ar, زَايِد بِن سُلْطَان آل نَهْيَان, Zāyed bin Sulṭān Āl Nahyān; 6 May 1918 – 2 November 2004) was an Emirati politician, statesman, and philanthropist who served as ...
, the late former UAE president and Sheikh
Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan
Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan ( ar, خليفة بن زايد بن سلطان آل نهيان; 7 September 1948 – 13 May 2022) was the second president of the United Arab Emirates and the ruler of Abu Dhabi, serving from ...
, the incumbent president. Abu Dhabi Municipalities and Town Planning Department were given the task of building a Tennis Complex to rival all other venues.
Tournaments
The first tournament held at the venue was the ''Abu Dhabi Professional Tennis Tournament 2006'' which was part of the ATP futures series in 2006. In 2009 a professional exhibition event, the
Capitala World Tennis Championship was held for the first time, with six of the world's top ten players in attendance. The venue also hosts the
Abu Dhabi Open, a
WTA 500 tournament.
References
External links
Capitala World Tennis Championship sitemap Wikimapia Official site
Buildings and structures completed in 2004
Tennis venues in the United Arab Emirates
Sports venues in Abu Dhabi
2004 establishments in the United Arab Emirates
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