Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka and Polish star Iga Swiatek are set to headline the Abu Dhabi event. — AFP
Grand Slam champions Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina, and Daniil Medvedev will compete in Abu Dhabi next month for the third season of the World Tennis League, organizers revealed on Monday. The prestigious event is backed by the Abu Dhabi Sports Council (ADSC), the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi (DCT), and Miral. Scheduled from December 19-22 at the Etihad Arena, this eagerly anticipated league will showcase four teams: Eagles (defending champions), Hawks, Falcons, and Kites. Eagles boast Swiatek, Barbora Krejčíková, Hubert Hurkacz, and Casper Ruud. Sabalenka, Mirra Andreeva, Taylor Fritz, and Sumit Nagal will represent Hawks. Falcons will feature Rybakina, Caroline Garcia, Medvedev, and Andrey Rublev, while Kites will include Jasmine Paolini, Paula Badosa, Stefanos Tsitsipas, and Nick Kyrgios.
The 2024 edition kicks off with a thrilling match as Falcons, including top players like Medvedev and Rybakina, face off against Hawks, led by world number 1 Sabalenka and Indian ace Nagal. Meanwhile, world number 2 Swiatek and number 7 Ruud will guide defending champions Eagles against Kites, featuring fan favorites Kyrgios and Badosa in the second match on opening day. On December 20, Eagles will battle Hawks, followed by Falcons versus Kites in the evening. On December 21, Falcons and Eagles will open the day's play, followed by the final league match between Hawks and Kites. The grand finale is set for December 22.
All teams will compete in a single round-robin format, with each team facing off once. The top two teams with the most wins will advance to the WTL Season 3 final. Each match comprises four sets: men's and women's singles, and two doubles sets, which could be men's, women's, or mixed doubles, determined by the coin toss winner. Adding to the thrill, if the trailing team wins the fourth set, the match enters Overtime (OT). OT continues until the leading team wins one more game or the trailing team matches the overall game total. If scores are tied, a Super Shootout decides the match.
In the Super Shootout, the 'home' team selects the competitor, while the opposing team chooses the side and decides to serve or receive first. The first to reach ten points wins, with sudden death at 9-9. The Super Shootout winner earns one game and two bonus points. As teams vie for the top spots, every game impacts their standings, determined by games won. If teams are tied in points, head-to-head records and game-winning percentages will be considered. With each game potentially decisive, all eyes will be on high-stakes singles and doubles battles.
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