Aryna Sabalenka defeats World No.1 Iga Swiatek at World Tennis League but Kites still lose to Hawks
OtherSaturday, 23 December 2023 at 17:55
The final Round Robin match of the 2023 World Tennis League has been completed and Daniil Medvedev's Eagles will face Aryna Sabalenka's Kites on Christmas Eve despite the latter suffering their first defeat of the tournament.
Hawks defeated Kites 20-19 as again a doubles match was cancelled like in the opening match of the day meaning the smaller scoreline between the two teams. But it also saw the first Iga Swiatek (Hawks) and Aryna Sabalenka (Kites) clash of the new season won by the latter in the UAE.
Sabalenka defeats Swiatek, but Ruud gains a consolation win
In the opening match of the final tie, Hubert Hurkacz and Casper Ruud (Hawks) teamed up for Men's Doubles against the duo of Grigor Dimitrov and Lloyd Harris (Kites). But it was the latter who struck first with a 6-4 win.
Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka technically played each other back-to-back after the mixed doubles clash was cancelled. Swiatek and Caroline Garcia for Hawks saw off Paula Badosa and Aryna Sabalenka who have been superb this week mainly due to their friendship meaning chemistry on the court. But it was a 6-3 win for the Polish French duo as they added the first win for Hawks.
Albeit then it was the turn of Sabalenka to gain bragging rights in the singles as she saw off Iga Swiatek 6-4 to also send Kites through to the final. This meant that Casper Ruud was technically just playing for bragging rights as he took on Grigor Dimitrov and it was a 6-4 win for the Norwegian who sealed the tie for Hawks against Kites. The final awaits tomorrow.
Final standings - 2023 World Tennis League
| Rank | Team | Played | Win | Loss | Points W/L | Points |
| 1 | Kites | 3 | 2 | 1 | 79-72 | 79 |
| 2 | Eagles | 3 | 2 | 1 | 75-73 | 75 |
| 3 | Falcons | 3 | 1 | 2 | 75-79 | 75 |
| 4 | Hawks | 3 | 1 | 2 | 72-77 | 72 |
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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