Off to a great start! @SG_Kites have announced their arrival to the Meteora World Tennis League in style 🙌 #WTL #WorldTennisLeague #MeteoraDevelopers #Day1 #Tennis #AbuDhabi #UAE
Aryna Sabalenka defeats 16-year-old prodigy Mirra Andreeva en route to Team Kites win at World Tennis League
WTAThursday, 21 December 2023 at 20:05
The World Tennis League has begun and Team Kites were the second team to take one step towards the final after defeating Team Eagles 27-22 in their opening tie as they surge towards the top of the table. Aryna Sabalenka (Kites) finished it off with victory over 16-year-old prodigy, Mirra Andreeva (Eagles)
Team Falcons also won their opening tie earlier in the day anchored by Elena Rybakina with Team Hawks close behind with Iga Swiatek. Team Eagles are bottom of the group on 22 points albeit with everything still to play for heading into Day Two.
Chemistry and relationships off court prove vital
Always with a trump card heading into the tournament of multiple players on the team being friends or even being in a relationship, that proved to be the vital part for Kites. To start off with best friends off court in Paula Badosa and Aryna Sabalenka (6-3) took the only break of the contest to shade their tie with Sofia Kenin and Mirra Andreeva.
Next up was the Mixed Doubles as Stefanos Tsitsipas finally teamed up with his girlfriend, Paula Badosa to face Kenin and Daniil Medvedev of the Eagles winning 6-4. The Greek in particular impressed on his serve and his forehand as Kenin and Medvedev struggled to keep up with the finely tuned duo.
The third and final doubles match of the day saw Andrey Rublev and Medvedev who are close friends off court finally trump the Kites in a 7-3 win. A closely fought contest, the Russian pair stepped up in the tie-break to take it and they moved closer. The Kites led the Eagles 18-14.
Rublev vs Dimitrov followed with the former making it even closer with a 6-3 win over Dimitrov. But it was now up to Sabalenka to anchor her team home. She won six games on the spin to show her experience against the rising star to ensure a 27-22 victory over the Eagles and end a superb opening foray.
Results - Kites 27-22 Eagles
Paula Badosa/Aryna Sabalenka (Kites) 6-3 Mirra Andreeva/Sofia Kenin (Eagles)
Paula Badosa/Stefanos Tsitsipas (Kites) 6-4 Sofia Kenin/Daniil Medvedev (Eagles)
Grigor Dimitrov/Stefanos Tsitsipas (Kites) 6-7(4) Daniil Medvedev/Andrey Rublev (Eagles)
Grigor Dimitrov (Kites) 3-6 Andrey Rublev (Eagles)
Aryna Sabalenka (Kites) 6-2 Mirra Andreeva (Eagles)
Total - 27-22
Just In
Popular News
Latest Comments
- FYI: The term 'snub' is a much overused verb by writers of sensationalist rags. [SNUB: rebuff, ignore, or spurn disdainfully]. That is not the definition of what is going on with frequent withdrawals from tournaments.
mandoist16-09-2024 - No offence, Mr. Lloyd, but where have you been the past two years?? How long have you been a tennis fan? This 'article' may be informative for newbies or fair-weather tennis observers but the majority of fans know the root of the multiple issues within WTA. The #1 issue being the subject of health & well-being which has been (or has attempted to be) addressed with the WTA Elitist council members last season. WTA was extremely dismissive of players' concerns and opposed to such a meeting. Eventually giving-in due to publicity and allowed selective players only -- no rep's, no medical personnel, and no team members. The meeting was a farce as WTA soon after that released an even more hectic schedule... with mandatory tourneys! Guess they weren't taking notes?? BTW: There is a lot missing from this piece concerning "withdrawals". No writer has yet taken the jump to get behind the scenes and dig at the problems -- obvious organizational problems. IMO, the top two issues are WTA's lack of proper attention to health & well-being of its Money-Makers; and Financial Greed. Tip to Mr. Lloyd: there is no "snubbing" when these players withdraw. These women have to take such measures as withdrawing from a tourney, and occasional time-off from the circuit, to protect themselves -- because WTA refuses to take any measures at all (although not allowing matches until sunrise is a start). Surely you can do better than point fingers at players. The finger-pointing should be directed entirely at WTA (and ATP). Be a true journalist, Mr. Lloyd, and research them!!mandoist16-09-2024
- Uh-oh.... Now Raducanu is being forced to compete! Let's see who withdraws next... I wonder??mandoist15-09-2024
- And this is such a shock to WTA?? How many times are they (WTA & ATP) going to keep stepping in their own s*** ???mandoist15-09-2024
- They can go down together!mandoist15-09-2024
