Four of the world’s top-ranked pairs of players, led by world No. 1 Alejandro Galan and Juan Lebron, were transformed into stunning “outdoor models” as they posed for clicks and shots on the expansive field and terraces outside the Museum of Islamic Arts (MIA) at the end of their visit to the iconic museum on Tuesday.
The visitors, which included world No. 2 Martin Di Nenno and Franco Stupaczuk, third-ranked Francisco Navarro and Juan Tello, and Arturo Coello and Agustin Tapia, the world’s No. 5, were warmly received by the museum’s senior officials during the visit held on the sidelines of the Ooredoo Qatar Major Premier Padel 2023
The players were taken around and they were shown some of the masterpieces of Islamic art on display at the museum, which is one of Qatar’s iconic landmarks.
The Museum of Islamic Arts houses more than 1,000 objects from three continents, some dating back over 1,400 years.
A selection of some of MIA’s most significant artefacts includes the ninth-century Blue Qur’an, the Cavour Vase (late 13th century), the Varanasi necklace (around 1609), the late 16th-century Ramayana manuscript for Hamida Banu Begum, and the Franchetti tapestry (around 1575).
The players expressed their delight at being part of the wonderful experience. According to them, the visit had further deepened their understanding of Arabian culture and tradition as well as Islamic history.