Most notably the coronation of Czech Krychkova after long years of waiting
5 unprecedented scenes that stunned the audience of «Dubai Ladies Tennis»
Krychkova knocked out the top three in the world on her way to her first title in 'Tennis Dubai'. Cinematographer: Patrick Castillo
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The 23rd edition of the Dubai Duty Free Women's Tennis Championship, which concluded yesterday in Dubai, ranked in the 1000-point category, celebrated five unprecedented scenes in the history of the tournament, most notably a successful third attempt by Czech star Barbora Kryckova to lift the "Dubai Dallah" and crown the title for the first time, after two previous unsuccessful attempts in the 2015 and 2021 finals.
The third attempt was not easy for Kryckowa, ranked 30 in the world, after she played matches of heavy caliber, during which she overturned expectations, by eliminating the top three seeds in the world, by defeating the Polish world number one Iga Świętek in the final (6-4, 6-2), and before that, she eliminated the third seed on the world American Jessica Pegula in the semi-finals (6-1, 5-7, 6-2023), as well as beating the Australian Open champion for 0, Belarusian Jelena Sabalenka, in the quarterfinals by (6-7, 6-6, 1-<>).
The event was the longest match in the annals of the 2023 WTA tournaments, during which Russian Samsonova needed three hours and 22 minutes to beat her rival Bados in a first-round match.
An event also emerged for the first time in the history of the tournament, through the keenness of Indian Sanya Mirza to bid farewell to the world of yellow ball and retire from the tournament, which stood 20 years ago, witnessing her launch to international stardom, and reaping remarkable achievements in the "doubles" at the level of major tournaments. Emirates Today monitors the five scenes as follows:
The third final smiles at Krychkova
The insistence of Czech tennis star Barbora Krychkova, in her third attempt, smiled by finally lifting it in the 2023 edition of the "Dallah Dubai", the famous cup of the tournament, after two previous attempts during which Barbora did not succeed in the coronation, despite reaching the final, the first of which lost in the 2015 final to the crowned champion of the tournament, Italian Sarah Irani, by (6-2 and 6-6), before the same scenario was repeated and the Czech beauty lost to Spain's Garbiñe Muguruza (7-3 and 6-2021) in the 2023 final. But the final of '<>' was different and finally managed to clinch the title.
The longest match in the world
The WTA announced that the "Dubai Championship" witnessed, last Sunday, the longest tennis match in the world during 2023, and lasted for three hours and 22 minutes, and brought together Russian Ludmila Samsonova, ranked 15 in the world, with Spanish Paula Badosa, ranked 20 in the world in the first round competitions, during which Samsonova succeeded in overturning her delay in the first set (6-7), to win with difficulty by deciding the second and third sets (7-6 and 6-4).
50th Anniversary
The WTA was keen to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the WTA through the Dubai Women's Tennis Championship, in a new affirmation of the strong relationship between the WTA and the Dubai Championships, in a ceremony during which players, coaches and referees from the WTA joined the representatives of the Dubai Duty Free tennis tournaments, and the staff working in the tournament, where they gathered in the main court "Dubai Duty Free Stadium", and formed the number 50 with their bodies.
Russia is the sole leader of "doubles"
The crowned duo in the 'doubles' Kudermetova and Samsonova gifted Russian tennis, historically alone at the top of these competitions, after becoming the first duo from one country to win two titles, as the first was by the Russian duo Elena Visina and Ekrtrina Makrova, winner of the 2017 edition. Spain won one title through Nuria Vince and Maria Sanchez in 2010, and American duo Lesel Haber and Lisa Raymond won the 2012 title.
Mirza.. The start and the end of «Tennis Dubai»
India's number one tennis star, the 2015 Australian Open and US Doubles Champion and 2016 Wimbledon and 20 Wimbledon, has made the decision to retire from the game through Dubai Tennis, a tournament that stood as a witness 2013 years ago to stardom, in a ceremony organized by Dubai Duty Free at the main stadium, and allowed the public to bid farewell to Mirza, who has a large fan base in Dubai, since she was crowned the title of the <> edition.