The 2023 World Tennis League continues on Friday morning with two more ties as the final will head towards being set at the Etihad Arena in the UAE. This after an action packed opening day with Elena Rybakina the star of the show who will return on Day Two with the Schedule now confirmed.
Elena Rybakina won a Sudden Death Super Tiebreak against World No.1, Iga Swiatek despite losing out to her in the match prior. This anchored Falcons to a 27-24 victory over Hawks and as usual with a Round Robin, the winners now face off and the losers face off to remain involved in the tie.
The other victors who top the table after Day One were Kites who had chemistry as the name of the game. With Paula Badosa and Stefanos Tsitsipas as a couple off court and the former also having a friendship with Aryna Sabalenka also in the team, this was evident against the Eagles team which featured Mirra Andreeva, Sofia Kenin, Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev. They sealed it 27-22 and lead the way.
The way the format works is the best of one set with those games won put together to make a total at the end of the match so the table (below) reflects the games won over the matches won.
Rybakina v Sabalenka highlight of opening match
In the opening match, Falcons will face Kites in the battle of the table toppers. The highlight will be Aryna Sabalenka v Elena Rybakina in what likely will be a match to decide the victor of the contest.
They will face off last with the running order seeing doubles the name of the game to start off with. Aryna Sabalenka and Paula Badosa start in Women's Doubles facing off against Elena Rybakina and Sorana Cirstea.
It is then Men's and Mixed Doubles with Taylor Fritz and Stefanos Tsitsipas facing off back to back with Sumit Nagal and Sorana Cirstea for Frtiz and Grigor Dimitrov and Paula Badosa for the latter with another iteration of Tsitsidosa.
Fritz and Dimitrov will then play again in Singles before the tie is decided by Sabalenka and Rybakina. That all begins around 12 CET.
Medvedev leads charge for Eagles against Swiatek's Hawks
Then it is the turn of the losing teams from the opening day as Daniil Medvedev will lead the charge for Eagles who lost to Kites. While Iga Swiatek leads the Hawks who lost to Falcons yesterday.
Swiatek after not playing with Hubert Hurkacz in the doubles yesterday has seemingly learnt her lesson and will take part with her compatriot in one of two doubles ties. She will not play the Women's Singles.
She teams with Caroline Garcia in the opening match to face Sofia Kenin and Mirra Andreeva. This is followed by Daniil Medvedev continuing his partnership with Andrey Rublev, he faces Hubert Hurkacz and Casper Ruud.
Swiatek then returns with Hurkacz to face Andrey Rublev and Mirra Andreeva before the singles rubbers as Daniil Medvedev locks horns with Hubert Hurkacz and Sofia Kenin will face Caroline Garcia instead of Swiatek for the latter.
Standings after Day One
Ranking
Team
Win
Loss
Sets
Points
1
Kites
1
0
27:22
27
2
Falcons
1
0
27:24
27
3
Hawks
0
1
24:27
24
4
Eagles
0
1
22:27
22
Teams in full
Eagles
Falcons
Hawks
Kites
Player
Rank
Player
Rank
Player
Rank
Player
Rank
Daniil Medvedev
3
Taylor Fritz
10
Hubert Hurkacz
9
Stefanos tsitsipas
6
Andrey Rublev
5
Sumit Nagal
138
Casper Ruud
11
Grigor Dimitrov
14
Sofia Kenin
33
Elena Rybakina
4
Iga Swiatek
1
Aryna Sabalenka
2
Mirra Andreeva
57
Leylah Fernandez
35
Caroline Garcia
20
Paula Badosa
63
World Tennis League Day Two Match Schedule - 22 December 2023
Match One - Falcons v Kites (around 12 CET)
Elena Rybakina/Sorana Cirstea v Aryna Sabalenka/Paula Badosa (Women's Doubles)
Taylor Fritz/Sumit Nagal v Stefanos Tsitsipas/Grigor Dimitrov (Men's Doubles)
Taylor Fritz/Sorana Cirstea v Paula Badosa/Stefanos Tsitsipas (Mixed Doubles)
Taylor Fritz v Grigor Dimitrov (Men's Singles)
Elena Rybakina v Aryna Sabalenka (Women's Singles)
Match Two - Eagles v Hawks (around 15 CET)
Sofia Kenin/Mirra Andreeva v Iga Swiatek/Caroline Garcia (Women's Doubles)
Daniil Medvedev/Andrey Rublev v Hubert Hurkacz/Casper Ruud (Men's Doubles)
Andrey Rublev/Mirra Andreeva v Hubert Hurkacz/Iga Swiatek (Mixed Doubles)
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