FINAL PREVIEW 2023 World Tennis League: Aryna SABALENKA's Kites face Daniil MEDVEDEV's Eagles for exhibition crown
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The final of the 2023 World Tennis League will take place on Christmas Eve so as the new season draws close, one match will decide it all in the UAE after three days of top class tennis at the Etihad Arena.
Our preview as ever runs down the main talking points and gives you all the information you need to know as Kites face Eagles led by Aryna Sabalenka and Daniil Medvedev respectively in terms of ranking on their respective tours.
Format and how this week has panned out so far
Prior to the final was the round robin phase and in a unique style for an exhibition, all games count. It is still short and sharp with one set only of tennis. But it means that even up until the final game, some teams without as many wins could still very much book their spot in the final.
It comprises of a mixed doubles, women's doubles, men's doubles and men's and women's singles clashes. A Super Tiebreak is also on the cards in case the points are tied at the end of proceedings.
Kites have been the stand-out team so far this week. Aryna Sabalenka leads the way alongside Paula Badosa, Grigor Dimitrov and Lloyd Harris. The latter was in after Day One as an alternate due to Stefanos Tsitsipas being injured. But all four were out enjoying themselves prior to the tournament and Badosa in particular has a friendship with Sabalenka and is in a relationship with Tsitsipas.
This has meant that camaraderie has been the name of the game. So far this week they defeated Eagles 27-22, Falcons 33-30 before narrowly being defeated by Hawks so they have experience in beating their opponents Eagles with Sabalenka leading from the front including confidence boosting wins over Elena Rybakina and Iga Swiatek. Albeit the latter was in a losing effort in reality in terms of the overall tie.
Eagles on the other hand have defeated Hawks and Falcons back-to-back after losing to Kites early on and like Kites have friendship as a factor with best friends, Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev together. But also superb talent in Mirra Andreeva, the 16-year-old prodigy and the rising again Sofia Kenin. All have played their part this week.
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Predicting partnerships
Without the allocations made as of time of writing, it will likely be a guessing game. But for Eagles, Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev are certain to team.
Mirra Andreeva and Sofia Kenin also as a team for Eagles have been superb all week and have seemingly garnered a bit of a friendship out of their experience in the UAE. Without Tsitsipas, Paula Badosa has teamed with Lloyd Harris for Kites and will also likely team with Aryna Sabalenka.
Same with Dimitrov and Harris in the Men's Doubles. Likely Women's Singles games could be Kenin v Sabalenka with Andreeva being beaten easy during the groups and Daniil Medvedev and Grigor Dimitrov will likely collide in Men's Singles. All could change depending on tactics and fatigue especially given Sabalenka will play the day after in Saudi Arabia against Ons Jabeur.
Team Rundown - 2023 World Tennis League
| Kites | Eagles |
| Grigor Dimitrov | Daniil Medvedev |
| Lloyd Harris | Andrey Rublev |
| Aryna Sabalenka | Sofia Kenin |
| Paula Badosa | Mirra Andreeva |
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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