Meet Nigel Gupta, tournament director for the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open
The IMG tennis director talks collaboration, being a catalyst for women’s tennis in the UAE and the latest court cooling technology
The Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open is unique and so is its tournament director. Coming into the role, not as a player but with a decade of tennis experience, he brings a valuable perspective to one of the newest stops on the WTA 500 tour. As the tournament swings into its second year, he took time out to talk to us during the installation of this year’s courts which bring another pioneering point of difference to the 2024 tournament.
On the event and why the players are drawn to it…
The Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open presented by the Abu Dhabi Sports Council is a WTA 500 event which was played for the first time in 2003 in the UAE’s capital. The players come to it because it’s perfectly positioned on the WTA calendar, right before Doha and Dubai which makes up this unique Middle Eastern run of events. We’ve got incredible facilities, a good climate and the players enjoy playing in front of a crowd who love seeing world class players in action.
On his tennis background…
I’ve been with IMG tennis for seven years and I’ve been the tournament director of the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open since the inaugural event in 2003. I’ve worked in tennis for over a decade now, so I am one of the few people who didn’t actually come into the role as a player, and hopefully gives a different perspective on how we look to operate and grow our events.
On the role of the tournament director…
The role of the tournament director is to ensure that we’re providing the best tournament from both a player and fan perspective. I am lucky to work with a very experienced IMG team from across the world – from Miami, to London, to China. We all come together to put on this great event and my specific role as the tournament director is to make sure that everyone collaborates effectively, keeps their eyes on the ultimate goal and is always striving for ways to improve the overall event experience.
On what he loves abouts the job…
I love sport and I love tennis. It’s always a great feeling to be able to look at the court when the stadium is full and watch the best players in the world compete at an event you have helped to create. Having the opportunity to work with so many different people from across the world that all come together to put on a world-class event is incredibly rewarding.
“We are leading the way by using Laykold Chill tech courts for the first time ever at an international tournament to reduce the effect of heat on players’ performance.”
What are your ambitions for the tournament?
We want to continue to grow the tournament in the right direction and really look at ways in which we can inspire the next generation of female tennis players here in the UAE. I believe that hosting events like a WTA 500 in Abu Dhabi provides a catalyst for promoting tennis in the region. My hope is that one day we’ll see some home-grown talent playing on the courts at this tournament.
On the integration of Laykold Chill tech courts…
Environmental conditions play a huge part in the overall performance of players across all sports and particularly in tennis. The major tournaments tend to be played in hotter climates and this poses challenges to players, coaches and therefore tournament directors everywhere.
We are leading the way by using Laykold Chill tech courts for the first time ever at an international tournament to reduce the effect of heat on players’ performance. It is part of our commitment to player welfare and to constantly improve the conditions we’re trying to put on here to allow the players to compete at their best level. It’s great to be part of this pioneering solution which promises to benefit tennis around the world and at all levels of the game.
On what he looks for in a court…
The Laykold Chill tech innovation is a key factor this year, and being able to work collaboratively with our team and partners to continually raise the bar for the tournament is really important to us. The fact that Laykold is able to offer this technological advancement as well as locking in pace precision so that we achieve the pace ratings and consistency we require as a tournament is really valuable. We’re delighted to have them on board.
On what he is most looking forward to at the 2024 edition…
In 2023 the event was put on in record time and this year we’ve had a longer run-in to develop the tournament and plan ahead. We’re really looking forward to having the players here again in 2024, many of whom will be returning for the second time. The tournament is going from strength to strength and it is exciting to think about what we can achieve this year with one tournament already under our belt and a great line-up of players and people working behind the scenes to make it incredible.