The 2024
World Tennis League will take place in
Abu Dhabi on hard courts from December 19 to 22. This mixed-team tournament
features some intriguing partnerships, with each team comprising two men and
two women competing in a round-robin phase.
Aryna Sabalenka,
Iga Swiatek,
Paula Badosa,
Stefanos Tsitsipas, and
Nick Kyrgios were among the initial confirmed players,
but several adjustments were made after last-minute withdrawals (including Daniil Medvedev and Taylor Fritz). Now, the teams are finalised and ready for action.
Unique partnerships set for Abu Dhabi exhibition
There are four teams competing for glory in one
of the most exciting exhibition tournaments of recent years. Each tie includes
a men’s singles match, a women’s singles match, and two doubles matches (which
can be men’s, women’s, or mixed doubles, depending on the team that wins the
toss).
The format includes unique rules: if the
trailing team wins the fourth match (making the score 2-2 after singles and
doubles), the tie enters Overtime (OT). OT continues until the leading team
wins one more game or the trailing team equalises the total number of games.
If the game totals are tied, the match is
decided in a Super Shootout. In this decider, the home team (listed
first in the schedule) chooses the player, while the opposing team decides the
side of the court and whether to serve or receive first. This rule ensures that
every game matters until the very last moment, guaranteeing intense and
competitive matches.
As in previous editions, the teams are Eagles,
Falcons, Hawks, and Kites, offering exciting pairings
Team Eagles will be led by 5-time Grand Slam champion Iga
Swiatek, joined by Paula Badosa (No. 12) and Stefanos Tsitsipas (No. 11).
Completing the team is Kazakhstan’s
Alexander Shevchenko (No. 78), recently
confirmed as a replacement for Hubert Hurkacz.
Team Falcons will feature 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena
Rybakina (No. 6) and Russia’s
Andrey Rublev (No. 8) as their top-ranked
players. They’ll be joined by
Caroline Garcia (No. 48) and
Denis Shapovalov
(No. 56), two former top-10 players aiming to reclaim their spots among the
elite in the upcoming season.
Team Hawks, led by world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, also
faced last-minute changes. Taylor Fritz’s withdrawal opened the door for
Australian
Jordan Thompson (No. 26), who will debut in the competition. The
team is rounded out by teenager
Mirra Andreeva (No. 16), a key player in the
Hawks’ victory last year, and rising Indian star
Sumit Nagal (No. 98).
Team Kites will be headlined by two top-10 players:
3-time Grand Slam runner-up
Casper Ruud (No. 6) and 2-time major finalist
Jasmine Paolini (No. 4). Completing the lineup are two players who’ve been
absent from the Tour in recent seasons: former Roland Garros and Wimbledon
champion
Simona Halep, returning after injuries and a doping suspension, and
Nick Kyrgios, back on court following two years of injuries. It will be
interesting to watch the Australian team up with the Romanian, considering his
recent criticisms of doping cases involving Sinner and Swiatek.
Team Eagles
|
Player
|
Rank
|
Men #1
|
Stefanos
Tsitsipas
|
11
|
Women #1
|
Iga
Świątek
|
2
|
Men #2
|
Alexander
Shevchenko
|
78
|
Women #2
|
Paula
Badosa
|
12
|
Team Falcons
FALCONS
|
Player
|
Rank
|
Men #1
|
Andrey
Rublev
|
8
|
Women #1
|
Elena
Rybakina
|
6
|
Men #2
|
Denis
Shapovalov
|
56
|
Women #2
|
Caroline
Garcia
|
48
|
Team Hawks
HAWKS
|
Player
|
Rank
|
Men #1
|
Jordan
Thompson
|
26
|
Women #1
|
Aryna
Sabalenka
|
1
|
Men #2
|
Sumit
Nagal
|
98
|
Women #2
|
Mirra
Andreeva
|
16
|
Team Kites
|
Player
|
Rank
|
Men #1
|
Casper
Ruud
|
6
|
Women #1
|
Jasmine
Paolini
|
4
|
Men #2
|
Nick
Kyrgios
| NR |
Women #2
|
Simona
Halep
|
877
|