Why the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open chooses Laykold
It’s written in the sand…
2026 is Laykold’s centenary year, and is the third year that the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open (WTA 500), will be played on Laykold. The tournament, part of the unique Middle Eastern Swing, is a key stop on the WTA Tour with incredible facilities, perfect weather and a great crowd.
With a desert location, it isn’t surprising that sand should feature at this tournament.
But not just in the way you might think.
The desert environment means an increase in atmospheric dust which can cause challenges on the court if sand particles settle on the court’s surface. But the unique type and blend of sand within Laykold’s court system in Abu Dhabi is what allows Laykold to maintain the exact court pace the tournament requires to mitigate the impact of atmospheric sand.
This means elevated playing conditions, better tennis and more fun for the fans.
Laykold begins its centenary year as Official Court Surface of the Abu Dhabi Open
Celebrating 100 years of inventing and reinventing tennis courts, the 2026 Abu Dhabi Open (31 January–7 February 2026) will be played on Laykold tennis court surfaces, marking the first major event of Laykold’s centenary year.
100 years of inventing & reinventing tennis court
Since 1926 Laykold has had a transformative impact on the game.
The earliest known reference to Laykold as a tennis court surface is 1926, which means that for 100 years, Laykold, alongside iconic brands such as Dunlop, Wilson and adidas, has played a transformative role in the development, global spread and success of tennis.
Find out how Laykold is delivering non-stop court consistency from Abu Dhabi to Miami
Cross-court and cross-continental consistency set to elevate tennis in 2026.
Laykold is elevating the game in 2026 with our Grand Slam quality courts tailored for elite tennis events and pickleball championships around the world, The dedicated Laykold Pro Tennis Team possesses highly specialized knowledge, they work on all our professional events, including US Open, Miami Open, Indian Wells, Wuhan Open, Nordic Open, Mexican Open, Winston-Salem Open, Chengdu Open, Singapore Open, Phoenix Open, Montpellier Open and many more. From pace precision to court consistency, here’s how Laykold meets the unique challenges of every tournament to deliver unmatched playing conditions...
Abu Dhabi 2025
“Laykold have the ability to lock in pace precision on the courts. They are providing huge value when it comes [to] performance of players here in Abu Dhabi and it shows our commitment to constantly improving the conditions.”
