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 […]
First ever all-Belarusian final set for Ostrava Open
TOP four seeds and Belarusian duo, Victoria Azarenka and Aryna Sabalenka will contest the 2020 Ostrava Open final tomorrow after winning their respective semi-finals today. Two-time Grand Slam winner Azarenka defeated Greek talent Maria Sakkari, while Sabalenka had the better of American Jennifer Brady to make the decider. Fourth seed Azarenka has been in ripping […]
Sabalenka loses first 10 games before coming back in stunning Ostrava win
ARYNA Sabalenka has become accustomed to coming from behind in order to post a win over her opponent in Ostrava. Having to do it against Coco Gauff in the Round of 16, the Belarusian seed has done it again in the quarter finals, but this time in very odd circumstances. Taking on Spanish qualifier Sara […]
Kudermetova, Sabalenka come from behind to post impressive wins in Ostrava
VERONIKA Kudermetova and Aryna Sabalenka are through to the quarter finals of the Ostrava Open after claiming come-from-behind victories. Kudermetova toppled second seed Karolina Pliskova – who slumped to a 10-7 record since winning in Brisbane earlier this year – as the world number 47 got up 4-6 6-4 6-3 in an hour and 56 […]
Top seed bundled out as past Grand Slam winners step up in Ostrava
TOP seed Elina Svitolina is out of the Ostrava Open with her season seemingly now over on a low note, going down to Greek sensation, Maria Sakkari in straight sets. With just one international tournament remaining in the year on the WTA Tour, Svitolina looks to have ended her season with the second round exit […]
Qualifers continue to rule as three top 30 players knocked out in Ostrava
THERE were plenty of upsets to pick from on the latest day at the Ostrava Open, though the three-set win by 75th ranked Russian qualifier Daria Kasatkina against top 20 talent Elena Rybakina might have been the pick of the bunch. The 23-year-old Russian has achieved a lot more than many might expect of her […]
Kontaveit survives double-break and match points against Alexandrova in Ostrava
ANETT Kontaveit has exacted a come-from-behind win over unseeded top 30 Russian, Ekaterina Alexandrova in the first round of the Ostrava Open. Trailing by a set, Kontaveit managed to steady with an important second set, then held on in a nail-biting decider to come away with the 4-6 6-2 7-6 victory. The final set was […]
