2021 Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi days: The tournament in photos
Take a trip through the first WTA event of the season via top photos from the 2021 Abu Dhabi WTA Women’s Tennis Open.
01
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Karolina Muchova pulls off some behind-the-back magic as the players started their practice sessions for the Abu Dhabi WTA Women’s Tennis Open on Monday.
Photo by WTA/Jimmie48
02
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Ukrainian teenager Marta Kostyuk, one of the newest entrants into the Top 100, is all smiles as she prepares for the Abu Dhabi main draw.
Photo by WTA/Jimmie48
03
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Daria Kasatkina gets loose during her training session on Monday, as she awaited her opening match on Centre Court on Tuesday.
Photo by WTA/Jimmie48
04
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2020 WTA Player of the Year and this week's top seed Sofia Kenin converses with the media during her pre-tournament press conference.
Photo by WTA/Jimmie48
05
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No.6 seed Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan hits the Abu Dhabi courts for practice on Tuesday evening.
Photo by WTA/Jimmie48
06
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Daria Kasatkina was the first main-draw winner of the 2021 WTA season, gritting past Wang Qiang in three sets on Centre Court.
Photo by WTA/Jimmie48
07
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Veronika Kudermetova notched the biggest upset of Day 1, eliminating No.10 seed Anett Kontaveit. Kudermetova now holds a 3-0 head-to-head record against Kontaveit.
Photo by WTA/Jimmie48
08
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No.15 seed Ons Jabeur fought off two set points in the opening frame before overcoming Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in straight sets on Monday.
Photo by WTA/Jimmie48
09
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18-year-old Canadian Leylah Fernandez opened her 2021 season with a nightcap victory, claiming a straight-set first-round win over Jasmine Paolini.
Photo by WTA/Jimmie48
10
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Coco Gauff only dropped a single game in her opener as she moved through to the second round on Thursday.
Photo by Getty Images
11
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Aryna Sabalenka claimed her 10th straight match-win, dating back to October of 2020, with her first-round victory in Abu Dhabi.
Photo by WTA/Jimmie48
12
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Top seed Sofia Kenin gritted out a tough first set in over an hour en route to quelling the challenge by qualifier Yang Zhaoxuan and moving into round two.
Photo by WTA/Jimmie48
13
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Karolina Pliskova found out she was playing lucky loser Despina Papamichail not long before her match began, but the Czech was still able to claim a straight-set first-round victory.
Photo by WTA/Jimmie48
14
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Garbine Muguruza defeated Kristina Mladenovic in straight sets in the first round, leveling their head-to-head rivalry at two wins apiece.
Photo by WTA/Jimmie48
15
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No.2 seed Elina Svitolina emerged victorious in the Centre Court nightcap on Thursday, defeating Jessica Pegula in straight sets.
Photo by WTA/Jimmie48
16
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Tamara Zidansek of Slovenia booked her spot in the round of 16 on Friday, backing up her upset of Jennifer Brady in the opening round with a second-round win over Leylah Fernandez.
Photo by WTA/Jimmie48
17
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Top seed Sofia Kenin kept loose before her second-round match against Kirsten Flipkens. Kenin advanced to the third round after Flipkens retired due to a left ankle injury.
Photo by WTA/Jimmie48
18
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Aryna Sabalenka kept on winning on Friday, claiming her 11th straight match-win after overcoming Ajla Tomljanovic in two close sets.
Photo by WTA/Jimmie48
19
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Paula Badosa ousted Alize Cornet on Friday, setting herself up with a third-round tilt against Veronika Kudermetova.
Photo by WTA/Jimmie48
20
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Ajla Tomljanovic, Donna Vekic, and Maria Sakkari share a few laughs before their doubles match on Friday.
Photo by WTA/Jimmie48
21
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292nd-ranked Russian qualifier Anastasia Gasanova stunned former World No.1 Karolina Pliskova in straight sets to reach the round of 16. It was Gasanova's first-ever match against a Top 100 player.
Photo by WTA/Jimmie48
22
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2nd seed Elina Svitolina did some stretching before her second-round victory over Vera Zvonareva on Saturday.
Photo by WTA/Jimmie48
23
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Under the Abu Dhabi foliage, Ukrainian teen Marta Kostyuk gritted out a tough three-set win over Hsieh Su-wei to reach the round of 16.
Photo by WTA/Jimmie48
24
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Former World No.1 Garbine Muguruza claimed her second straight-set win of the week on Saturday, defeating Aliaksandra Sasnovich to make the third round.
Photo by WTA/Jimmie48
25
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Reigning US Open doubles champions Vera Zvonareva and Laura Siegemund talk strategy as they make their way into the doubles quarterfinals in Abu Dhabi.
Photo by WTA/Jimmie48
26
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Top seed Sofia Kenin had to save a match point before getting past Yulia Putintseva in a three-set third-round thriller.
Photo by WTA/Jimmie48
27
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Not to be outdone, No.2 seed Elina Svitolina saved two match points in her third-round clash, edging Ekaterina Alexandrova in a final-set tiebreak.
Photo by WTA/Jimmie48
28
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6th-seeded Elena Rybakina moved into the Abu Dhabi elite eight by ousting former Top 10 player Daria Kasatkina.
Photo by WTA/Jimmie48
29
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Sara Sorribes Tormo booked her spot in the quarterfinals after ousting qualifier Anastasia Gasanova.
Photo by WTA/Jimmie48
30
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Aryna Sabalenka expressed herself to the press after eliminating Elena Rybakina and reaching the Abu Dhabi semifinals.
Photo by WTA/Jimmie48
31
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Maria Sakkari reeled off the final ten games of her quarterfinal to upset No.1 seed Sofia Kenin and earn her fifth career win over a Top 5 player.
Photo by WTA/Jimmie48
32
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After losing a bagel first set, Marta Kostyuk surged back to defeat Sara Sorribes Tormo and reach the semifinals of a WTA singles event for the first time in her career.
Photo by WTA/Jimmie48
33
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Veronika Kudermetova completed the semifinal lineup, defeating Elina Svitolina in a final-set tiebreak. It was Kudermetova's third Top 5 win, and her second win in two meetings with Svitolina.
Photo by WTA/Jimmie48
34
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Hayley Carter and Luisa Stefani defeated reigning US Open champions Laura Siegemund and Vera Zvonareva in the doubles semifinals, and will take on Shuko Aoyama and Ena Shibahara in the doubles final.
Photo by WTA/Jimmie48
35
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Maria Sakkari skips rope before her semifinal clash with Aryna Sabalenka.
Photo by WTA/Jimmie48
36
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Aryna Sabalenka ousted Maria Sakkari in straight sets to claim her 14th consecutive match-win and reach the singles final.
Photo by WTA/Jimmie48
37
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Veronika Kudermetova booked a spot in her first-ever WTA singles final after ending the run of teenager Marta Kostyuk.
Photo by WTA/Jimmie48
38
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Shuko Aoyama and Ena Shibahara were victorious in the doubles final, defeating Hayley Carter and Luisa Stefani, 7-6(5), 6-4.
Photo by WTA/Jimmie48
39
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The 2021 Abu Dhabi WTA Women’s Tennis Open was the fourth career WTA doubles title for the team of Shuko Aoyama and Ena Shibahara.
Photo by WTA/Jimmie48
40
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Aryna Sabalenka goes through one last warmup before the singles championship match on Wednesday.
Photo by WTA/Jimmie48
41
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Playing in her first WTA singles final, Veronika Kudermetova was aiming for her sixth Top 10 win against Aryna Sabalenka.
Photo by Getty Images
42
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The week ended with Aryna Sabalenka collecting a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Veronika Kudermetova for the 2021 Abu Dhabi WTA Women’s Tennis Open singles title.
Photo by WTA/Jimmie48
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