WASHINGTON, January 3, 2021 (by Michael Dickens)
Let’s face it, as the 2021 tennis season begins in a few days, the quality of the women’s game is in superb hands – and only expects to get better.
Four of the world’s Top10 players are entered for the first WTA tournament of 2021, the Abu Dhabi WTA Women’s Tennis Open, which takes place from January 5-13 at the Zayed Sports City International Tennis Centre in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The WTA 500 event features reigning Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin, currently ranked No. 4; WTA World No. 5 Elina Svitolina; former World No. 1 Karolina Pliskova, ranked No. 6; and World No. 10 Aryna Sabalenka, who finished 2020 by winning two consecutive WTA titles, in Ostrava and Linz.
Adding to that quartet of stars is two-time Grand Slam winner Garbiñe Muguruza, former French Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova and 2020 US Open semifinalist Jennifer Brady. You want more? How about rising stars Elena Rybakina, Elise Mertens, Ons Jabeur and Coco Gauff. Just imagine if World No. 1 Ashleigh Barty, No. 2 Simona Halep or No. 3 Naomi Osaka had decided to enter the year’s first outdoor hard-court tournament.
With a singles field of 64 (56 direct entries and eight qualifiers), there’s bound to be some great matches throughout the tournament. Plus, look for Sabalenka and Mertens, who teamed to win the 2019 US Open doubles title, to headline the doubles draw.
Soon, Barty, Halep and Osaka – plus a healthy No. 7 Bianca Andreescu – will be back in the mix in Melbourne at the talent-laden Australian Open. Indeed, looking forward to 2021, the women’s game is going to be off the charts.
A great surprise coming to Rotterdam …
A great surprise from the Land of the Rising Sun: Kei Nishikori announces he is coming to Rotterdam in March!#atptour #abnamrowtt #nishikori #Rotterdam pic.twitter.com/nmf7CjZ4WK
— ABN AMRO WTT (@abnamrowtt) January 2, 2021
Karolina Pliskova – Looking back, we had a lot of fun
Even though 2020 hasn’t exactly been the year to remember, but we still had a lot of fun 😅 Wish you all to stay safe, healthy, and keep smiling 🙂 Happy New Year! 🥂 pic.twitter.com/PL39G7FWsA
— Karolina Pliskova (@KaPliskova) December 31, 2020
What they’re writing
One takeaway from the 2020 tennis season is this: Tennis can be a lonely sport and in the middle of the Coronavirus pandemic and players’ mental health is being pushed to the limit, as explained in a special feature by Geoffrey Steines for Tennis Majors.
Tennis can be a lonely sport and in the middle of the Coronavirus pandemic, players’ mental health is being pushed to the limit. Special feature by @JoSteines for @Tennis_Majors https://t.co/vwqyUR0yq1
— Tennis Majors (@Tennis_Majors) January 2, 2021
Who else can’t wait to see what the future for Coco Gauff holds?
“I still have much further to go but I’ve come a looongg way”
Who else can’t wait to see what the future holds for @CocoGauff? 🙋♀️#BillieJeanKingCup pic.twitter.com/mLaCK4aQVM
— Billie Jean King Cup (@BJKCup) January 2, 2021
Roger Federer: A New Year’s Message
A message from Roger Federer(@rogerfederer ), UNIQLO Global Brand Ambassador #UQAmbassadors #NewYear2021 pic.twitter.com/JSbXiexbzR
— UNIQLO_Ambassadors (@UQAmbassadors) December 31, 2020
Elina Svitolina: New Year, New Me
New Year – New Me 😁#tiktok #fun #NewYear2021 pic.twitter.com/bxBOnVe98E
— Elina Svitolina (@ElinaSvitolina) January 1, 2021
The Big Three Wishes You a Happy New Year
The Big 3 wishes you an Happy New Year! pic.twitter.com/SrV70T40go
— We Are Tennis (@WeAreTennis) January 2, 2021
Happy New Year’s wishes!
Happy New Year!!! Hope 2021 will be better for all of us😌 #NY2021 pic.twitter.com/qFVJKSl7fN
— borna coric (@borna_coric) January 1, 2021
Looking back at 2020 I think this was a challenging year for everybody, with lots of ups and down…but we made it through!
NOW, looking forward to 2021 I wish you all a healthy and happy New Year 🌅
I love you
Fogna#FF
#2021 pic.twitter.com/12cN8ZCbwk— Fabio Fognini (@fabiofogna) January 1, 2021
HAPPY NEW YEAR 💫 Frohes Neues Jahr 💫 pic.twitter.com/6YqZRqvnwl
— Jule Goerges✌️🇩🇪 (@juliagoerges) January 1, 2021
Nice to see you 2021 😊 pic.twitter.com/4UijIaZD0x
— Simona Halep (@Simona_Halep) January 1, 2021
Looking forward to 2021 ✨ Wishing you all a happy and healthy year with a lot of positive moments ❤️ #happynewyear #positivethinking pic.twitter.com/O4sy548zEj
— Elise Mertens (@elise_mertens) December 31, 2020
