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The women's singles draw at the Abu Dhabi Open has been released and we are in for an exciting week of action in the capital of the United Arab Emirates.
Belinda Bencic won the WTA 500 event last year but will not be available to defend her title due to her pregnancy. Elena Rybakina and Ons Jabeur are the top two seeds and will be favorites to win the Abu Dhabi Open. However, the likes of Barbora Krejcikova, Jelena Ostapenko and Maria Sakkari are also capable of challenging for the tournament.
So, without further ado, let's take a look at how the women's singles draw at the Abu Dhabi Open could unfold.
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Top half: Elena Rybakina will look to bounce back from Australian Open disappointment
Seeded Players: (1) Elena Rybakina, (4) Barbora Krejcikova, (5) Jelena Ostapenko, (8) Liudmila Samsonova
Expected Semifinal: Elena Rybakina vs Barbora Krejcikova
Dark Horse: Veronika Kudermetova
Analysis: Elena Rybakina played one of the best matches of the Australian Open, if not the best, against Anna Blinkova. The Kazakh ended up on the losing side and will be eager to impress in the Middle Eastern swing.
Rybakina hasn't been given the most favorable draw as she could face Naomi Osaka in the second round. While the Japanese is not one to be taken lightly, the 2022 Wimbledon champion should manage to come out on top and reach the quarterfinals. Here, she will most likely take on fifth seed Jelena Ostapenko, although Zhu Lin cannot be underestimated.
Rybakina and Ostapenko would be a battle between ice and fire, and the Kazakh should manage to prevail, even if it is by the barest of margins, and reach the semifinals of the Abu Dhabi Open.
The other side of this half has fourth seed Barbora Krejcikova, who reached the Australian Open quarterfinals. The Czech has received a bye to the second round, where she could potentially face a tough opponent in Veronika Kudermetova.
If Krejcikova reaches the quarterfinals, which she just about should, her potential opponents include Paula Badosa, Anhelina Kalinina, Lesia Tsurenko and last year's runner-up Liudmila Samsonova.
The Czech is bound to face a tough challenge from either player, particularly if they are at their best physically. However, she should be able to get the better of whoever she faces and reach the semifinals of the Abu Dhabi Open.
Krejcikova vs Rybakina will be a match to look forward to as both players are not only among the best but are also mentally solid. For now, the Czech has been given the nod to progress to the final but it won't be a surprise if the Kazakh comes out on top.
Semifinal Prediction: Barbora Krejcikova def. Elena Rybakina.
Bottom Half: Ons Jabeur, Maria Sakkari and Daria Kasatkina make for interesting draw
Seeded Players: (2) Ons Jabeur, (3) Maria Sakkari, (6) Beatriz Haddad Maia, (7) Daria Kasatkina
Expected Semifinal: Ons Jabeur vs Daria Kasatkina
Dark Horse: Emma Raducanu
Analysis: Second seed Ons Jabeur is in this half of the Abu Dhabi Open and will be expected to have a good run. The Tunisian will be eager to bounce back after suffering a 6-3, 6-0 loss to Mirra Andreeva in the second round of the Australian Open.
Jabeur has been handed a tough draw early on, as she will face either Emma Raducanu or Marie Bouzkova in the second round in Abu Dhabi. However, the Tunisian should be able to come out on top and reach the quarterfinals of the WTA 500 tournament.
Here, she could most likely take on sixth seed Beatriz Haddad Maia, although Magda Linette is also capable of doing well if she is at her best.
The other half of this draw has third seed Maria Sakkari, who will face either Caroline Garcia or Sorana Cirstea in the second round. There is a fair chance of Garcia progressing through to the quarterfinals, particularly if she is at her best.
Here, the Frenchwoman will most likely take on seventh seed Daria Kasatkina, who will take on qualifiers in the first two rounds. The Russian is capable of beating the best of players on her day, and she should manage to beat Garcia to set up a semifinal clash against Jabeur.
Kasatkina and Jabeur will be an interesting matchup but the Tunisian should be able to come out on top due to her more aggressive game and reach the final of the Abu Dhabi Open.
Semifinal Prediction: Ons Jabeur def. Daria Kasatkina
Abu Dhabi Open 2024: Final prediction
Ons Jabeur vs Barbora Krejcikova is the predicted final for the WTA 500 event and we could see the two square off against one another for the very first time.
Both players have the capability of excelling on hard courts and we could have an exciting match on our hands like last year's final where Belinda Bencic and Liudmila Samsonova played for two hours and 48 minutes.
Eventually for Jabeur and Krejcikova, mentality will play a huge role and while the Czech has had some impressive results in the Middle East, Jabeur's variety might just about see her come out on top and win the Abu Dhabi Open.
Prediction: Ons Jabeur def. Barbora Krejcikova.
