Elena Rybakina clinched her second WTA championship of the year in Abu Dhabi but surprisingly admitted that she arrived in the United Arab Emirates “without any preconceived notions.” Rybakina, who was seeded as the top player, defeated the seventh-seeded Daria Kasatkina 6-1 6-4 in the final match in Abu Dhabi. This victory marks her seventh title, following her triumph at the Brisbane International earlier this season.
In the opening set, Rybakina broke Kasatkina’s serve in the second game but was immediately broken back in the subsequent game. However, this setback did not affect Rybakina’s performance, as she went on to break Kasatkina’s serve twice in the fourth and sixth games, winning four consecutive games and securing the first set in an impressive manner.
In the second set, Rybakina managed to gain a break advantage on two occasions, but Kasatkina managed to break back each time, resulting in a tied score of three games apiece after the first six games. However, Rybakina regained her momentum and secured her third break of the set, taking a 5-4 lead. She then successfully served out the match in the following game, ultimately winning in straight sets against Kasatkina.
“I came into this week without any expectations because I had some issues in Melbourne, so it took some time for me to get back on the court,” Rybakina stated after her triumph in Abu Dhabi. “I was simply aiming to play as many matches as possible. I am truly proud of my performance this week. With each match, I felt more confident.”
Throughout the tournament, Rybakina also defeated Danielle Collins, Cristina Bucsa, and Liudmila Samsonova on her path to victory in Abu Dhabi.
“I am extremely pleased with my performance this week and the level of tennis I displayed. I remained focused from start to finish in the final match. I am very proud,” Rybakina expressed.
Looking ahead, Rybakina is now preparing to compete in the Qatar Open in Doha, where she is seeded third and has received a first-round bye.
According to the Source tennisworldusa.org