Dubai Tennis Championships 2021

[Alexandoy]

The women’s singles had already started a few days back and the semi-finals are ready to roll. Seed #9 Garbine Muguruza will face Belgian Elise Mertens. In other semi-final match it will be Barbora Krejcicova versus Jil Teichmann who are both unseeded. The top seeds have been eliminiated as early as in the round of 16. The semi final matches, however, look to be exciting with the fairly even skills of Muguruza and Mertens.

 

[Alexandoy]

Spaniard Garbine Muguruza prevailed over Elise Mertens 6-4, 7-6 while Barbora Krejcikova defeated Jil Teichmann 7-5, 6-2. In the finals, Muguruza who is seeded 9th is favored over unseeded Krejcikova although the latter cannot be discounted. In minor tournaments, it is not unusual for an unseeded player to win the championship like what happened in Qatar when unseeded Nikoloz Basilashvili took home the championship trophy for the men's singles.

 

[Alexandoy]

Garbine Muguruza of Spain held the fort for the favorites as she defeated Krejcikova in 2 sets. It was very close in the first set that was settled in a tiebreak for Muguruza at 8-6. In the second set Krejcikova seemed to have lost heart in the match that she seemed to have surrendered at 6-3. Muguruza was runner up to Petra Kvitova in the Qatar Open. Her world ranking will definitely improve with her recent win.

 

[Alexandoy]

After the women’s singles it is now time for the men’s singles in the Dubai Open 2021. The top 5 seeds are still intact going into the round of 16 except for top seed Dominic Thiem who was waylaid by unseeded Lloyd Harris 6-3, 6-4. Seed #2 Andrey Rublev will meet Taylor Fritz, 3rd seed Denis Shapovalov will facce Hubert Hurkacz and 4th seed Roberto Bautista Agut will square off with the young Italian prodigy Jannik Sinner.

 

[Alexandoy]

The Italian prodigy Jannik Sinner enters the quarterfinals arfter defeating 4th seed Roberto Bautista Agut. He will square off with giant killer Aslan Karatsev. Other quarterfinal matches are between #2 seed Andrey Rublev and Marton Fucsovicz, #3 seed Denis Shapovalov and Jeremy Chardy, and the last pair is the match between Lloyd Harris and Kei Nishikori. There is a high probability that an unseeded player will be the champion.

 

[Alexandoy]

The semi-finals will be contested by 2 seeded players against 2 unseeded players. Aslan Karatsev who defeated Jannik Sinner in the quarterfinals will face 2nd seed Andrey Rublev who bested Marton Fucsovicz. In the other semi-final match, 3rd seed Denis Shapovalov overcame the challenge of Jeremy Chardy and will square off with Lloyd Harris who defeated the Japanese Kei Nishikori.

 

[Alexandoy]

It is the night of the underdogs in the semi-finals of the Dubai Open 2021. Seed #3 Denis Shapovalov was beaten in 3 sets by Lloyd Harris 6-7, 6-4, 7-6. The match was settled in a tie-break of 8-6. In the other semi-finals match, 2nd seed Andrey Rublev was defeated by giant-killer Aslan Karatsev also in 3 sets 6-2, 4-6, 6-4. The finals will be contested by unseeded players Karatsev and Harris.

 

[Alexandoy]

It was a heart-breaking loss for Lloyd Harris who was hoping to grab his first championship title. Karatsev had an easy win in 2 sets 6-3, 6-2. Aside from the trophy, Karatsev won the champion’s prize of almost $150,000. That is Karatsev’s first title in the minor league and that would push his world ranking by maybe 10 to 20 slots.