ABU DHABI: Rafael Nadal ended an injury-plagued 2016 on a high by lifting the Mubadala World Tennis Championship title for a fourth time on Saturday.
The 30-year-old Spaniard defeated 11th-ranked Belgian David Goffin 6-4, 7-6 (7/5) after world No.1 Andy Murray earlier ousted Canada’s Milos Raonic 6-3, 7-6 (8/6) to take third place.
“I’m very happy to return to competition again. These three days have been good for me. These three days, playing at this level, are going to stand me in good stead for the rest of the season,” said Nadal.
Nadal’s 2016 campaign had been ruined by a wrist injury that forced him out of Roland Garros after the second round and saw him miss Wimbledon.
But he looked in form throughout the exhibition tournament in Abu Dhabi, beating Czech Tomas Berdych in the quarterfinal and Raonic in the semifinals.
“He put a lot of pressure on me,” said Goffin of his first clash against the Spaniard.
“You can feel how strong he is when he is in front of you. Mentally he is very impressive and he looks really strong to start the new season.”
Nadal will now head to Australia for the Brisbane International, with Goffin traveling to Doha for the Qatar Open.
Wimbledon and Olympic champion Murray, who was knighted in the New Year Honours list, lost to Goffin in Friday’s semifinal, his first defeat in the Belgian in six meetings.
“It was good to finish the year with a win,” said the 29-year-old Scot. “I still feel like Andy Murray — that feels more normal — but I am happy with the knighthood and it is a nice way to start the New Year.”
Murray’s next stop is neighboring Qatar for the opening week of the ATP season and two weeks out from the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam of 2017.
In the match for fifth-place in the six-man field, France’s Jo-Wilfried Tsonga beat Czech Thomas Berdych 6-7 (5/7), 6-3, 10-3.
Nadal wins fourth UAE title
Nadal wins fourth UAE title
Record prize of up to $200k for a 9-darter at the Saudi Arabia Darts Masters
- Players who complete a perfect leg will receive $100,000, with the chance to double it by hitting the bullseye with a bonus 10th dart
- 8 Professional Darts Corporation stars will take on 8 of Asia’s top players in the tournament on Jan. 19 and 20 at the Global Theater in Boulevard City
RIYADH: Players at the Saudi Arabia Darts Masters in Riyadh next week have a chance to win a record-breaking cash prize for a nine-dart finish, with up to $200,000 up for grabs for a perfect leg.
Eight Professional Darts Corporation stars will take on eight of Asia’s leading players at the tournament, which is part of Riyadh Season, on Jan. 19 and 20 at the Global Theater in Boulevard City.
Turki Alalshikh, chairperson of the Kingdom’s General Entertainment Authority, revealed on Thursday that any player who hits a perfect nine-darter during the event will receive a $100,000 bonus, with the chance to double it through the Riyadh Season Bullseye Challenge.
With the leg already won, the player will throw a 10th dart, and if it hits the bullseye the prize will be doubled to $200,000, the biggest amount ever offered by a PDC-sanctioned event for a nine-darter.
Reigning world champion Luke Littler, who will head the line-up in Riyadh, previously hit a nine-darter on the World Series of Darts stage at the Bahrain Masters in 2024.
He will be joined by 2023/24 world champion Luke Humphries, world championship runner-up Gian van Veen, and three-time world champion Michael van Gerwen.
The PDC contingent also includes former world champion Gerwyn Price, world No. 7 Stephen Bunting, former UK Open winner Danny Noppert, and 2023 World Matchplay champion Nathan Aspinall.
Asia will be represented by Singapore veteran Paul Lim, who in 1990 famously threw the first televised World Darts Championship nine-darter, alongside Filipinos Alexis Toylo, Lourence Ilagan and Paolo Nebrida, Japan’s Motomu Sakai, Ryusei Azemoto and Tomoya Goto, and Hong Kong’s Man Lok Leung.
