DUBAI // Laid low by injuries from Wimbledon onwards, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga is looking for a fast start to the new season with success at this weekend’s star-studded Mubadala World Tennis Championships in the capital.
Tsonga, who has not played a competitive match since his second-round defeat by Kei Nishikori at the Paris Masters, in October, will return to action with an opening day clash against Andy Murray on Thursday.
Murray also has been out of action, since his Davis Cup appearance against Croatia in September, after the Scot decided to have surgery on his lower back, which had earlier forced him to pull out of the 2013 French Open.
“I am very excited, of course, to play Andy on the first day,” Tsonga said yesterday. “This is going to be his first match since his injury, so it will be interesting to see how the match goes.
“I don’t have any pain in my knees now for four weeks and I am really looking forward to this tournament. The top 10 are here, and there is no better preparation. I will play against Murray, one of the best players in the world, and it’s always good to play against them and see where your level is.”
Tsonga will be making his third appearance at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship, a tournament which has brought together the elite of men’s tennis since its 2009 inception.
The draw includes the world’s top four – Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, David Ferrer and Murray – and the world No 8 Stanislas Wawrinka. The lowest-ranked player in the draw, at world No 10, Tsonga knows winning the Abu Dhabi event would be a boost as he starts a new season, with the Hopman Cup his only other engagement before the Australian Open.
Winning the tournament “would mean I have already beaten three guys from the top 10”, the Frenchman said. “So it will be great and I will know I am ready.”
A finalist at the Australian Open in 2008, Tsonga started 2013 with a quarter-final appearance in Melbourne and then became the first Frenchman since Gael Monfils in 2008 to reach the last-four of the French Open.
At Wimbledon, he retired from his second-round match and later missed the North American swing, including the US Open, because of injury.
Since then, he has changed his coaching team, replacing Roger Rasheed with the duo of Thierry Ascione and Nicolas Escude, and is confident of finally ending his wait for a grand slam title.
“Impossible is nothing,” Tsonga said. “I know I still have the passion and that’s what makes me dream about winning a major. The goal is to win a major and I have prepared really well these last couple of weeks, so I am really excited. Everything is going well and I am sure I will be a better player than last year.”
Murray says Wimbledon title was ‘life changing’ accomplishment
While spending three months recovering from back surgery, Scotland’s Andy Murray has had plenty of time to reflect on becoming the first Briton in 77 years to win the Wimbledon “gentlemen’s” singles title, in July.
“It changed my life,” he said. “For a number of years, I had worked hard to try and achieve that, and I have been playing under an extreme amount of pressure, especially at Wimbledon, over the last five to six years, and I had not been quite able to get over the final hurdle.
“To do it is just a massive weight off my shoulders. Obviously, if I was to have to retire tomorrow, I would be happy. That’s not going to be the case and I want to achieve more, but if it was tomorrow, and I could not play anymore, at least I don’t have to worry.”
Murray faces Jo-Wilfried Tsonga on Thursday in the first round of the Mubadala World Championship, with the winner taking on Novak Djokovic.
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Washmen Profile
Date Started: May 2015
Founders: Rami Shaar and Jad Halaoui
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Laundry
Employees: 170
Funding: about $8m
Funders: Addventure, B&Y Partners, Clara Ventures, Cedar Mundi Partners, Henkel Ventures
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
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APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)
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Chip: Apple A17 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
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Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 4
Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR 4, full-HD @ 25/30/60fps
Biometrics: Touch ID, Face ID
Colours: Blue, purple, space grey, starlight
In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter
Price: From Dh2,099
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WWE Super ShowDown results
Seth Rollins beat Baron Corbin to retain his WWE Universal title
Finn Balor defeated Andrade to stay WWE Intercontinental Championship
Shane McMahon defeated Roman Reigns
Lars Sullivan won by disqualification against Lucha House Party
Randy Orton beats Triple H
Braun Strowman beats Bobby Lashley
Kofi Kingston wins against Dolph Zigggler to retain the WWE World Heavyweight Championship
Mansoor Al Shehail won the 50-man Battle Royal
The Undertaker beat Goldberg
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Power: 154bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option
Price: From Dh79,600
On sale: Now
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Company profile
Name: Thndr
Started: October 2020
Founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: FinTech
Initial investment: pre-seed of $800,000
Funding stage: series A; $20 million
Investors: Tiger Global, Beco Capital, Prosus Ventures, Y Combinator, Global Ventures, Abdul Latif Jameel, Endure Capital, 4DX Ventures, Plus VC, Rabacap and MSA Capital
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Joker: Folie a Deux
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson
Director: Todd Phillips
Rating: 2/5
Primera Liga fixtures (all times UAE: 4 GMT)
Friday
Real Sociedad v Villarreal (10.15pm)
Real Betis v Celta Vigo (midnight)
Saturday
Alaves v Barcelona (8.15pm)
Levante v Deportivo La Coruna (10.15pm)
Girona v Malaga (10.15pm)
Las Palmas v Atletico Madrid (12.15am)
Sunday
Espanyol v Leganes (8.15pm)
Eibar v Athletic Bilbao (8.15pm)
Getafe v Sevilla (10.15pm)
Real Madrid v Valencia (10.15pm)
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Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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Abu Dhabi GP Saturday schedule
12.30pm GP3 race (18 laps)
2pm Formula One final practice
5pm Formula One qualifying
6.40pm Formula 2 race (31 laps)
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Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
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Simon & Schuster
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
MATCH INFO
Inter Milan 1 (Martinez 18' pen)
Juventus 2 (Dybala 4', Higuain 80')
BIOSAFETY LABS SECURITY LEVELS
Biosafety Level 1
The lowest safety level. These labs work with viruses that are minimal risk to humans.
Hand washing is required on entry and exit and potentially infectious material decontaminated with bleach before thrown away.
Must have a lock. Access limited. Lab does not need to be isolated from other buildings.
Used as teaching spaces.
Study microorganisms such as Staphylococcus which causes food poisoning.
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These labs deal with pathogens that can be harmful to people and the environment such as Hepatitis, HIV and salmonella.
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
The specs
A4 35 TFSI
Engine: 2.0-litre, four-cylinder
Transmission: seven-speed S-tronic automatic
Power: 150bhp
Torque: 270Nm
Price: Dh150,000 (estimate)
On sale: First Q 2020
A4 S4 TDI
Engine: 3.0-litre V6 turbo diesel
Transmission: eight-speed PDK automatic
Power: 350bhp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: Dh165,000 (estimate)
On sale: First Q 2020
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Marital status: Separated with two young daughters
Education: Master's degree from American Univeristy of Cairo
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Ten10 Cricket League
Venue and schedule Sharjah Cricket Stadium, December 14 to 17
Teams
Maratha Arabians Leading player: Virender Sehwag; Top picks: Mohammed Amir, Imad Wasim; UAE players: Shaiman Anwar, Zahoor Khan
Bengal Lions Leading player: Sarfraz Ahmed; Top picks: Sunil Narine, Mustafizur Rahman; UAE players: Mohammed Naveed, Rameez Shahzad
Kerala Kings Leading player: Eoin Morgan; Top picks: Kieron Pollard, Sohail Tanvir; UAE players: Rohan Mustafa, Imran Haider
Pakhtoons Leading player: Shahid Afridi; Top picks: Fakhar Zaman, Tamim Iqbal; UAE players: Amjad Javed, Saqlain Haider
Punjabi Legends Leading player: Shoaib Malik; Top picks: Hasan Ali, Chris Jordan; UAE players: Ghulam Shabber, Shareef Asadullah
Team Sri Lanka Cricket Will be made up of Colombo players who won island’s domestic limited-overs competition
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World Cup final
Who: France v Croatia
When: Sunday, July 15, 7pm (UAE)
TV: Game will be shown live on BeIN Sports for viewers in the Mena region