Doha, February 16 (QNA) - Qatar tennis player Mubarak Shanan expressed his great happiness at participating in the main draw of the Qatar ExxonMobil Open 2026, stressing that it is one of the most important tournaments of the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP Tour).

In his remarks to Qatar News Agency (QNA), Shanan said that this is the first time he has competed in the main draw of the Qatar ExxonMobil Open since it was upgraded to a 500-point tournament within the ATP Tour, voicing his happiness about that.

He thanked the Qatar Tennis Federation, headed by HE Nasser bin Ghanim Al Khelaifi, Secretary-General Tariq Zainal, and Tournament Director Kareem Alami, for granting him a wildcard entry into the main draw. He considered this participation an important milestone in his career, hoping that the experience he has gained will motivate him in future competitions.

Shanan said that he has been involved in tennis for 24 years, and as Qatari players, they always receive unlimited support from the federation, whether at the local level or through participation in regional and international tournaments. This reflects the officials' keenness to develop the game, refine talents, and support players. He added that hosting world championships like the Qatar ExxonMobil Open also provides them with an opportunity to gain new experiences through interaction with international stars, and this is extremely important.

Regarding his main draw match against Australian Alexei Popyrin, Shanan said that today he faced a very strong player who had previously reached the semi-finals of the tournament and was among the top 10 players in the world at times. Despite the difficulty of the match, he tried to give his all and gain more experience against a player of that caliber. He also praised the atmosphere of the match and the support he received, stressing that the Qatar ExxonMobil Open remains one of the best tournaments in its category worldwide. (QNA)