Iga Swiatek
Team Falcons will take on Kites in the final group game of the inaugural World Tennis League on December 23, Friday.
Each team will have a maximum of four players competing in a match. The mixed-gender exhibition tournament that is being held in the Middle East in Dubai will see each match being decided after the result of best-of-three contests involving one singles men’s match, one singles women’s match, and one mixed doubles match. There will be a 10-point tiebreak for the third set.
| Falcons | Kites |
| Novak Djokovic | Iga Swiatek |
| Aryna Sabalenka | Felix Auger-Aliassime |
| Grigor Dimitrov | Holger Rune |
| Paula Badosa | Eugenie Bouchard |
| – | Sania Mirza |
We have seen some exciting mixed doubles action so far in the competition and expect more of the same when Grigor Dimitrov and Paula Badosa go head-to-head with Holger Rune and Eugenie Bouchard.
Grigor Dimitrov is one of the most experienced players in action at the World Tennis League. In the Falcons’ first match in the exhibition tournament, the Bulgarian teamed up with Paula Badosa and defeated the team of Dominic Thiem and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova from the Hawks in three sets 5-7, 6-3, 10-4.
Paula Badosa also played her part in the win. The former No. 2 might not have had one of her better seasons in 2022 but she is a gritty customer and will be looking to get some match practice ahead of the upcoming Australian Open.
Holger Rune was in great form towards the latter part of the season. However, the 19-year-old did not have a great start in the tournament as he and Eugenie Bouchard lost to the team of Nick Kyrgios and Bianca Andreescu on the opening day of the tournament.
Eugenie Bouchard brings a wealth of experience to an otherwise young team. The 2014 Wimbledon runner-up didn’t have a great game against Nick Kyrgios and Bianca Andreescu but she has the ability to bounce back strongly when her back is against the wall.
This will be a blockbuster clash between two of the best players in the women’s game at the moment. Fans wouldn’t want to miss this affair.
Aryna Sabalenka didn’t have a great start to the campaign. After bageling 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina in the first set, Sabalenka was outplayed in the second set. The Kazakhstani youngster won the third set to come out with a fine 0-6, 6-1, 10-4 victory. The former world No. 2 will still be a tough hurdle for the seemingly unstoppable Swiatek.
Iga Swiatek had a memorable start in the World Tennis League as she defeated WTA Finals champion, Caroline Garcia in her first match in convincing style. Swiatek seems to be set to carry her form from 2022 into the new year.
This is another mouth-watering clash that fans will be waiting for with bated breath. One player bring truckloads of experience with him while the other player had a tremendous finish to his season.
Novak Djokovic added five titles to his enviable trophy cabinet in 2022. He won the ATP Finals to end the season on a high. He faced Alexander Zverev in the first match. The German player recently returned to the court at the Diriyah Tennis Cup tournament after recuperating from an ankle injury. He produced his best result since making a comeback and defeated the 21-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic in straight sets 6-3, 6-4.
Felix Auger-Aliassime won three consecutive titles in as many weeks at one point this year. The current world No. 6 picked up a crucial win against Nick Kyrgios in his first match to give his team the win. The head-to-head scoreline between Auger-Aliassime and Djokovic stands at 1-1.
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