High-seeded Elena Rybakina secured her second title of the season with a easy 6-1, 6-4 victory over Daria Kasatkina on the Abu Dhabi Open on Sunday. The world quantity 5, who began the 12 months with a title in Brisbane, added a seventh trophy to her resume and is now joint-second on the match-wins leaderboard with 11 victories to her identify in 2024. Gentle rain supplied some late drama because it briefly interrupted the ultimate sport of the competition, with gamers instructed to attend on their benches with Rybakina main 6-1, 5-4, 30/30. It was solely a brief delay although because the 2022 Wimbledon champion closed out the win with two good serves on the 68-minute mark.
“First I wish to congratulate Daria after all with an amazing week, congrats to you and the group,” Russian-born Kazakh Rybakina mentioned in her victory speech.
“Powerful week, particularly final matches, and tomorrow is already a match in Doha, so hopefully we each get well and we do effectively there and perhaps play the ultimate there.”
Rybakina struck first however double-faulted at hand Kasatkina the break again.
Kasatkina returned the favour instantly, double-faulting to drop serve as soon as once more and the Russian did not win one other sport in that set as Rybakina secured the set 6-1 in 24 minutes.
Kasatkina hit simply two winners in that set, towards a whopping 16 unforced errors, and her double-fault depend was mounting as she struggled with the windy situations.
The second set was a extra aggressive affair however Rybakina’s energy sport in the end made the distinction with Kasatkina clearly feeling the after results of the taxing three-hour semi-final she performed towards Beatriz Haddad Maia the earlier night.
Kasatkina has now misplaced her final 4 consecutive finals –- together with two this 12 months in Adelaide and Abu Dhabi -– and stays in the hunt for a primary title triumph since 2022.
“I am enjoying a whole lot of matches, I am successful most of them, which is essential,” mentioned Kasatkina, who’s 10-3 win-loss thus far this marketing campaign.
“I feel it is the very best begin of the 12 months for me ever. I could be simply proud of that.
“After all there are moments which are disappointing –- to lose the ultimate isn’t a pleasant factor however as Daniil Medvedev mentioned after the Australian Open, it is higher to play three finals than to lose three first rounds. So I’ll take that.”
The Russian world quantity 14 has a fast turnaround and can catch a late flight Sunday from Abu Dhabi to Doha, the place she is because of face her compatriot and good pal Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova within the first spherical of the Qatar Open on Monday.
“Proper now I am a bit dissatisfied after all. However generally being upset might help you perhaps greater than being tremendous completely satisfied,” mentioned Kasatkina.
“That is what occurred two years in the past after I misplaced within the semi-finals from match level to Ons (Jabeur) in Rome. I actually consider that match made me play semi-final at Roland Garros.
“So I’ll suppose this manner, considering that these losses within the finals they are going to simply make me higher and can push me to develop.”
Seeded quantity three in Doha, Rybakina has a first-round bye and kicks off her draw there towards Varvara Gracheva or Zhu Lin in spherical two.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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