Three-set thrillers see come-from-behind victories
ACTION heated up in the quarter finals of the Abu Dhabi WTA 500 event with each of the four matches going the full three sets to determine a winner. In three of those four matches, the winner dropped the first set before coming back to win, including one 6-0 first set loss. That disastrous first […]
Youth rises in third round at Abu Dhabi
IT was the future of the WTA Tour on show in the third round of the Abu Dhabi 500 tournament, with 26-year-old Elina Svitolina being the “veteran” of the quarter finals competitors. The Ukrainian was one of only two players – Maria Sakkari was the other – aged 25 years and older, with the other […]
WTA Abu Dhabi Round of 32 wrap: Gasanova shocks Pliskova in debut tournament
RUSSIAN rising star, Anastasia Gasanova has shocked third seed Czech Karolina Pliskova, claiming her first ever Top 100 victory with a 6-2 6-4 triumph in the Round of 32 at the Abu Dhabi WTA 500 event. Gasanova had no troubles knocking off the former world number one, having come through qualifying and then toppling former […]
WTA Abu Dhabi Round of 64 wrap: Top six through without a hitch, young guns also advance
OF the 16 seeds on show in the brand new WTA Abu Dhabi 500 event, 12 reached the second round. Kicking off 2021 in style, the top six seeds advanced without dropping a set, whilst 2020 in-form players, Anett Kontaveit and Jennifer Brady were amongst the seeds to fall in the opening round of play. […]
2021 WTA Abu Dhabi preview: Big guns enter new 500 tournament
A NEW year brings with it new hope and that is certainly the case for the WTA Tour as a brand-new looking logo and colour scheme to kick-start 2021. In what is a fitting opening to the season, a first-time tournament in Abu Dhabi will take place, with a fairly stacked draw of primarily European […]
Tennis Central – Happy holidays and what to expect in 2021
IN what has been a challenging year for everyone, Draft Central would like to thank everyone for the support throughout 2020 in what was a remarkable year for the organisation. Despite the challenges of a global pandemic, Draft Central was able to expand its coverage and increase its reach across the country far greater than […]
What does the Open BLS De Limoges cancellation mean for the WTA Tour?
IT is that time of year where the Open BLS De Limoges would be in full swing as some of the best WTA players take the court and gear up for an action packed summer of tennis. But unfortunately the tournament was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and a host of other logistical reasons […]
Young guns to watch on the ITF Tour
THE International Tennis Federation (ITF) is well and truly stacked with developing talent, and Draft Central is beginning to delve into the young guns coming up through the ranks emphasising those who have burst onto the scene and showcased some exciting qualities in their junior years. While many of these players are beginning to feed […]
Hopman Cup hypothetical teams: Italy & Germany
ONE of the most unique tennis tournaments which features both ATP Tour and WTA Tour players is the Hopman Cup. Given the world circumstance and the fact it was already skipped on the eve of last year, it looks to be either delayed later in 2021, or perhaps at the turn of the New Year […]
WTA introduces new-look logo, matches tournament categories with ATP Tour
IN a huge rebranding announcement overnight, the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) has undergone a facelift as tennis looks to go into a new year, uninterrupted. With so much unprecedented about 2020, it seems like the perfect time for a new-look tournament structure to match the ATP Tour’s competition categories, while the new-look WTA logo and […]
