Andrey Rublev, the world No 5, has been confirmed as the fifth male player competing at next month's Mubadala World Tennis Championship in Abu Dhabi, organisers announced on Tuesday.
Rublev, 24, adds his name to an already stacked lineup for the six-player tournament featuring 20-time Grand Slam champion - and five-time MWTC winner - Rafael Nadal, former US Open champion Dominic Thiem, world No 8 Casper Ruud, and 19th-ranked Denis Shapovalov. Meanwhile, the one-off women's match will be contested by US Open champion Emma Raducanu and Olympic gold medalist Belinda Bencic.
It will be Rublev's third appearance at MWTC having made his debut in 2017 before returning in 2019. On both occasions, the Russian placed fifth.
“It’s really exciting to be heading back to Abu Dhabi and playing in front of the fans there," Rublev said. "They really know their tennis and make a real difference. And, with the event at full capacity it’s going to be a great way to begin a busy 2022 season.”
Rublev will arrive in the capital following another successful season on the ATP Tour. In addition to the title he won in Rotterdam, Rublev reached a further three finals - two of them Masters 1000 events, in Monte Carlo and Cincinnati. He still has the chance to add to his eight career titles when he competes in the season-ending ATP Finals in Turin, Italy next week.
"We’ve raised the bar every year since the inception of the Mubadala World Tennis Championship and always strive to bring the best players in the world to Abu Dhabi," said John Lickrish, CEO, Flash Entertainment, the tournament owners.
"Andrey’s confirmation means we now have five truly world-class players lined up for the exciting return of the Championship. Andrey has a great connection with the championship and has a strong following in the UAE so his return, to a full stadium, will undoubtedly create a lot of enthusiasm among tennis fans in the UAE and beyond.”
After last year's championship was called off due to logistical complications of staging the tournament during the Covid-19 pandemic, it returns this year in front of a capacity crowd at Zayed Sports City's International Tennis Centre and will be held December 16-18.
In line with the latest government guidelines, MWTC will welcome fans with green status on the Al Hosn app and a negative PCR test result with 96-hour validity across the three days of the tournament. MWTC is also accessible to international visitors after Abu Dhabi’s recent lifting of quarantine requirements for fully vaccinated travellers.
Tickets start from Dh100 for adults and Dh50 for children, and are available from ticketmaster.ae and Virgin Megastores across the UAE. In line with current protocols, measures will be in place within the stadium and throughout the Tennis Village to ensure the health and safety of fans, players and officials.
More details are available on www.mubadalawtc.com
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Globalization and its Discontents Revisited
Joseph E. Stiglitz
W. W. Norton & Company
Opening day UAE Premiership fixtures, Friday, September 22:
- Dubai Sports City Eagles v Dubai Exiles
- Dubai Hurricanes v Abu Dhabi Saracens
- Jebel Ali Dragons v Abu Dhabi Harlequins
