Road to MADO B/S07 – 365 Open Sports U18 Girls: Wednesday Update from Dubai (September 24, 2025)
Date:
24/09/2025Road to MADO B/S07 – 365 Open Sports U18 Girls: Wednesday Update from Dubai (September 24, 2025)
From the hard courts of Dubai, the U18 Girls’ main draw has produced a compelling final: UAE’s Xinru Zhong versus Namibia’s Cara Du Toit. Zhong advanced in a deciding match tiebreak, while Du Toit progressed via walkover. Today’s order of play is pending publication; see the official page for live updates.
Tournament Overview
Event: Road to MADO B/S07 – 365 Open Sports – U18 Girls
Location: Dubai, UAE
Dates: September 19–28, 2025
Surface: Hard
Main Draw Size: 4 | Qualifying Draw Size: 8
Series: Road to Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open
This compact, high-intensity stop on the Road to MADO is built for accelerated development: short fields, high stakes, and meaningful ranking movement toward season-ending objectives. The Dubai hard courts have rewarded first-strike tennis and disciplined patterns through the middle of the court, placing a premium on serve quality and depth control on the return.
Results So Far
| Round | Player 1 | Player 2 | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Semifinal | Xinru Zhong (SMA, UAE) | Isabelle James (HPT, Bulgaria) | 3–6, 6–4, 10–7 | Completed |
| Semifinal | Karina Ogorodnikova (FUT) | Cara Du Toit (365, Namibia) | — | Walkover to Du Toit |
The first semifinal swung on Zhong’s composure after dropping the opening set; she reset patterns, found a steadier backhand-to-backhand exchange, and closed in a deciding match tiebreak. Du Toit advanced when Ogorodnikova was unable to take the court, preserving the Namibian’s legs for the title match.
Today’s Order of Play — Wednesday, September 24, 2025
As of publication, the tournament desk has not released the official order of play for Wednesday. The girls’ singles final is pending confirmation.
| Time | Court | Match | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| TBC | TBC | Girls’ Final: Xinru Zhong (SMA, UAE) vs Cara Du Toit (365, Namibia) | Schedule to be confirmed by the referee |
For live updates and the official order of play, visit the tournament page: uaetennis.ae/tournament.
Final Match Preview
- Baselines and first-strike patterns: Zhong’s ability to rebound under scoreboard pressure was evident in the semifinal. Expect her to look for early forehand initiative and use depth to pin Du Toit.
- Freshness factor: Du Toit reaches the final without court time yesterday, which can be an advantage in physical freshness but may require a quick feel for timing in the opening games.
- Serve and return: On Dubai’s hard courts, holding above 65% behind first serve has been the difference between control and chase. The player who manages +1 forehand setups off the return likely dictates.
- Momentum swings: If the match trends tight, Zhong’s proven nerve in a deciding tiebreak could matter; Du Toit’s freshness and first-strike accuracy can offset that by shortening points.
By the Numbers
- Event window: 10 days (September 19–28, 2025)
- Main draw: 4 players; 2 semifinals completed; final pending
- Surface: Hard (outdoor)
- Nations represented (main draw participants): at least three (UAE, Namibia, Bulgaria)
- Entry fee: AED 0 for this stop
How to Follow
Check the official tournament page for the order of play, live scoring, and draw updates: Road to MADO B/S07 – 365 Open Sports – U18 Girls.
Editor’s Note
Today’s order of play will be updated once released by the tournament referee. The UAE Tennis Federation will publish any changes to timing or court assignments on the official event page.