WTA 500 Abu Dhabi 2/5 - 2/11 2024

[ashkor87]

Great performance by Jabeur! I wasn't expecting it...

[ti-amie]

Order of Play Thursday February 8, 2024

Stadium Court
Starts at 4:00 AM

CZE B. KREJCIKOVA (4) vs ESP S. SORRIBES TORMO
Followed by
UKR A. KALININA vs RUS L. SAMSONOVA (8)
Followed by
KAZ E. RYBAKINA (1) vs USA D. COLLINS
Followed by
ESP C. BUCSA vs GBR H. WATSON

ADCB Court 1
Starts at 4:00 AM

TPE H. CHAN/MEX G. OLMOS (3) vs POL M. LINETTE/USA B. PERA
Followed by
USA C. DOLEHIDE/USA D. KRAWCZYK vs BRA B. HADDAD MAIA/BRA L. STEFANI (2)
Followed by
USA S. KENIN/USA B. MATTEK-SANDS vs CZE M. BOUZKOVA/ESP S. SORRIBES TORMO (4)
- - -

[ashkor87]

would not at all be surprised if Collins beats Rybakina today - given the brainless way Rybakina has been playing, and the fact that Collins is playing well..

[ponchi101]

BTW.
Some people consider Ka. Pliskova a servebot. Great serve, highly suspect movement, and super flat strokes that tend to fly off. How come Elena has escaped that label? It describes her well.
If Collins is playing well, she can beat almost anybody. So sure, why not?

[mick1303]

BTW.
Some people consider Ka. Pliskova a servebot. Great serve, highly suspect movement, and super flat strokes that tend to fly off. How come Elena has escaped that label? It describes her well.
If Collins is playing well, she can beat almost anybody. So sure, why not?

The quality you mentioned are more extreme in Pliskova's case.

[texasniteowl]

and even though Pliskova has been to two finals, the fact that Rybakina actually has won a major probably influences also. and, correct me if I'm wrong, but how much was Rybakina on the radar before 2022 compared to how long Pliskova has been on tour?

[ashkor87]

Rybakina returned really well and collins appeared to lose energy as the game went on .Rybakina still hits that forehand very predictably down the middle, at most slightly cross-court but getting away with it

[ti-amie]

Friday Order of Play

Stadium Court
Starts at 4:00 AM

CZE B. KREJCIKOVA (4) vs RUS L. SAMSONOVA (8)
Followed by
KAZ E. RYBAKINA (1) vs ESP C. BUCSA
Followed by
BRA B. HADDAD MAIA (6) vs TUN O. JABEUR (2)
Followed by
RUS D. KASATKINA (7) vs ROU S. CIRSTEA

ADCB Court 1
Starts at 7:30 AM

CZE L. NOSKOVA/GBR H. WATSON vs JPN S. AOYAMA/SRB A. KRUNIC

[ashkor87]

BTW.
Some people consider Ka. Pliskova a servebot. Great serve, highly suspect movement, and super flat strokes that tend to fly off. How come Elena has escaped that label? It describes her well.
If Collins is playing well, she can beat almost anybody. So sure, why not?

The quality you mentioned are more extreme in Pliskova's case.

I would not call Rybakina a servebot.. she has a great backhand, pretty good forehand, generates power effortlessly.. i am only complaining about the lack of game plan sometimes.. predictability too.

[mick1303]

IMO the term "servebot" in a meaning we apply to ATP is hardly applicable to WTA. The list of women with a serve that would qualify for that is too short. Therefore any negative connotation to the great serve shall be dismissed.

[skatingfan]

Are there any servbots left - Isner & Karolvic are retired, and Opelka's been injured. It seems like a playing style that is dying off.

[ponchi101]

Some people called Pete a servebot. For a guy with an exquisite FH, and some truly majestic volleys.
And I do like Elena's BH, but her forehand has zero margin for error. She must hit the flattest FH since Kerber. It is pretty, but when it is off...

[ashkor87]

I agree sampras was much more than a great serve...

[ashkor87]

Samsonova vs Rybakina next...interestingly, Samsonova usually beats Rybakina, not sure why...

[mick1303]

Samsonova vs Rybakina next...interestingly, Samsonova usually beats Rybakina, not sure why...

Some kind of aberration, probably from juniors, because they are 7 months apart (Samsonova is older). But the results of Rybakina are so much better. She reached R16 at slams 5 times, losing there once (also 2 QF, RU + title). Samsonova twice reached R16 and both times lost. Rybakina has 2 Tier I titles (Rome + IW), Samsonova's best is WTA 500. I fully expect Rybakina to overturn this H2H and eventually rectify it a-la Sinner-Medvedev.