World No.3 Casper Ruud will make his debut at this year's Mubadala World Tennis Championship in Abu Dhabi.
Speaking exclusively to ARN, the 23-year-old Norwegian said it makes perfect sense to end his year in the UAE capital.
Rudd adds that he's "really looking forward to visiting Abu Dhabi for the first time to contest the Mubadala World Tennis Championship.
"It’s been a tournament on my radar for some time and I know that the level of tennis is going to be of the highest quality. I’m excited to be involved and play in front of my fans over there in the UAE."
In securing the World No.2 ranking last month, Rudd became the highest-ranked Norwegian tennis player in history. He has nine ATP Tour singles career titles.
He will join World No.1 Carlos Alcaraz when the action gets underway at Zayed Sports City on December 16.
The pair battled it out for the US Open title in September, and Ruud says he learned a lot from his four sets defeat to the Spaniard.
Tickets start from AED 95 for adults and AED 45 for children and can be purchased on the event’s official website.
For the full interview, listen to Dubai Eye 103.8's Off-Script today.
Arsenal delivered a statement of intent in the Premier League title race with a 5-1 hammering of champions Manchester City to close the gap at the top to six points on Sunday.
David Warner's explosive batting propelled the Dubai Capitals into the playoffs of the DP World ILT20 Season 3 after they clinched a stunning 26-run win over the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.
Wakana Sonobe, the 17-year-old Japanese talent, showcased her unquestionable abilities by defeating Cristina Bucsa in straight sets to move into the Round of 32.
L’Étape Dubai by Tour de France made its debut in the UAE this weekend, bringing together over 1,000 cycling enthusiasts, from hobby riders and amateurs to elite athletes, and recording the highest number of participants for the first edition of any amateur cycling event in the history of the UAE.
The UAE National Olympic Committee has announced the country’s participation in the ninth Asian Winter Games, set to take place in Harbin, China, from February 7-14, with 1,500 athletes from 34 Asian Olympic committees competing.