Sabalenka takes third straight title with Abu Dhabi win

Aryna Sabalenka

ABU DHABI (AFP): Aryna Sabalenka heads to next month’s Australian Open brimming with confidence after she captured a third consecutive title by outclassing Veronika Kudermetova 6-2, 6-2 in the Abu Dhabi final on Wednesday to extend her winning streak to 15 straight matches.

The 22-year-old from Belarus is the in-form player at the moment on the WTA tour and will be looking to translate her success from the smaller events into the majors, where she has yet to make it past the fourth round.

Sabalenka added a ninth singles trophy to her collection and will rise to a career-high number seven in the world when the new rankings are released next week.

“I came here to play some matches after one month of just preparation. I played six matches and it’s really important and I’m really happy I could play that long and to win this title,” Sabalenka told reporters in Abu Dhabi.

“I’m going to Australia, I’m confident with only one thing, that I’ll do everything I can to win matches and that’s the only confidence I have right now.”

Sabalenka, who ended her 2020 season by clinching back-to-back titles in Ostrava and Linz, is also riding an 11-match winning streak in the Middle East, having triumphed in Doha on her last previous visit to the region 11 months ago.

She now has nearly three weeks before the start of the Australian Open, which begins on 8 February, where she’ll be considered one of the top contenders.