ABU DHABI: Elena Rybakina produced a dominant performance to defeat Daria Kasatkina in straight sets and become the champion of the 2024 Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open presented by Abu Dhabi Sports Council.
The world No. 5 secured a 6-1, 6-4 victory over her Russian opponent in the UAE capital, while American duo Sofia Kenin and Bethanie Mattek-Sands walked away with the doubles title after defeating Linda Noskova and Heather Watson in a match disrupted by rain.
The second edition of the WTA 500 event, which took place at the International Tennis Center, Zayed Sports City, drew to a close with two entertaining finals played in front of a sellout crowd on Stadium Court.
By the time Rybakina and Kasatkina stepped out on court, the sun was making an attempt to break through the clouds for the first time on Sunday.
Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion, was in ominous form over the course of the competition, overcoming the likes of Danielle Collins and Liudmila Samsonova on her way to the final.
She began the match in similar fashion, breaking Kasatkina in her first service game to take control of the set, subsequently overpowering her opponent in every area to win it in effortless style.
Kasatkina responded well in the second and matched her opponent for much of the set. With the score level at 4-4, however, Rybakina forced a break that proved decisive as she held her serve in the following game to prevail 6-1, 6-4.
American pairing Kenin and Mattek-Sands, meanwhile, were crowned doubles champions courtesy of a straight-sets victory over Noskova and Watson.
The flow of the contest was disrupted by rain, with the players forced off-court on two separate occasions during a first set which Kennin and Mattek-Sands, winners of the 2019 China Open, eventually clinched 6-4.
The second set was equally tight, with Noskova and Watson attempting to take it to a third, and there were big opportunities to do so as they passed up three set points.
They were ultimately made to pay, though, as the set went to a tie-break, which Kenin and Mattek-Sands edged to clinch the trophy.
Homaid Al-Shimmari, deputy group CEO at Mubadala Investment Company, said: We celebrate Elena Rybakina’s well-deserved victory, a testament to Abu Dhabi’s commitment to athletic excellence on a global stage.
“As the curtain closes on this leg of the Middle East swing, we look forward to next year when new champions will rise and the legacy of the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open will continue to shine brightly.”
Aref Hamad Al-Awani, general secretary of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, said: “The Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open plays a pivotal role in shaping the growth of tennis in the UAE. It also inspires the next generation of athletes, and is further indication of Abu Dhabi’s capabilities in hosting high-level events, which strengthens its position as a global sports destination.”