All Alexandr-ova for Sabalenka in Doha
IT WAS the result no one saw coming. Despite winning in Linz a fortnight ago, Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova was given little to no hope of beating the best hardcourt player in the world in Aryna Sabalenka in Doha, but then the world number 26 tore up the script. In a match that had to be […]
Swiatek swishes past Sakkari as Doha history beckons
SEARCHING to make WTA Tour history in Doha, world number two Iga Swiatek‘s 2025 Qatar Open got off to a flying start by casting aside former Top 10 player Maria Sakkari in straight sets to reach the Round of 16. In a one-sided affair, the Polish star – who despite having one of the most […]
Parks piles on pain for Shnaider in Doha
AMERICAN qualifier Alycia Parks caused a huge boilover against 11th seed Diana Shnaider to reach the second round of the 2025 Qatar Open overnight. The hard-hitting but often inconsistent Parks smashed her way to victory as one of three unseeded players to knock off seeded opponents. Parks won 6-4 7-6 in 95 minutes, blowing her […]
2025 WTA Tour preview: Qatar Open
THE first of back-to-back WTA1000 tournaments kick off this week with the Qatar Open taking place in Doha. It follows on from the WTA500 event in Abu Dhabi, and concludes in Dubai the following week with a second WTA1000 event. We take a look at what to expect from the tournament. All eyes will be […]
Bencic blitzes past Krueger for ninth WTA title
SWISS star Belinda Bencic needed three sets, but the wildcard got the job done against American Ashlyn Krueger to secure her ninth WTA Tour title, and first as a mother. Bencic made a remarkable fast-tracked return since her maternity leave, starting in the lower ITF ranks, and now winning a WTA 500 title within six […]
Everybody (Bencic’s Back) in Abu Dhabi final
IT HAS been an incredible turnaround for former Top 5 player Belinda Bencic who in the space of a few months went from battling it out on the Challenger Tour to reaching a WTA 500 final, defeating a current Top 5 player en route to said final. The Swiss star stunned top seed Elena Rybakina […]
Reigning Rybakina rolls Ons in Abu Dhabi
DEFENDING her 2024 Abu Dhabi WTA 500 title, top seed Elena Rybakina reached the final four of the event thanks to a hard-fought three-set victory over former world number two, Ons Jabeur. It was great signs for both players that Rybakina was able to pull through, while for the returning Jabeur after an injury-interrupted last […]
Shocks galore as Noskova steamrolls Badosa
IT WAS chaos for seeded players everywhere in Abu Dhabi, with the Round of 16 seeing four higher ranked chances bow out and another on the ropes before turning it around. The most comprehensive wins of those upsets went to young Czech Linda Noskova who stormed pst second seed and world number 10 Paula Badosa […]
Ons-wards and upwards for Jabeur in Abu Dhabi
FORMER world number two Ons Jabeur kick-started her Abu Dhabi campaign with a hard-fought win over former Roland Garros champion Jelena Ostapenko 7-6 7-5, to reach the second round of the WTA 500 event. Jabeur suffered knee and shoulder injuries last season that bookended her 2024 campaign and saw her freefall down the rankings. Much […]
Sun rises in Abu Dhabi
A DOMINANT display from New Zealand 2024 big improver Lulu Sun was the standout result from day one of the 2025 WTA Abu Dhabi Open. The Kiwi-born – but has represented Switzerland and even Croatia prior – completely dismantled French wildcard and former Top 5 player Caroline Garcia 6-1 6-3 in 77 minutes to snap […]
