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Elina Svitolina and Petra Kvitova on Collision Course at WTA Dubai 2021

Elina Svitolina

The WTA 2021 Dubai Duty-Free Tennis Championships is here, and it is one of the flagship events in the middle-east. Headlining it this year is the two-time champ and World No.5 Elina Svitolina. WTA Dubai has a star-studded draw with it being the first-ever WTA 1000 tournament.

Svitolina is the first seed followed by former World No.1 Karolina Pliskova. Aryna Sabalenka is the third seed, and Petra Kvitova closes the top four seeds.

Elina Svitolina road to the third title in Dubai

Elina Svitolina
Elina Svitolina after winning her third-round match against Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva. REUTERS/Kelly Defina

Svitolina got a first-round bye. But in the second round, she could face former World No.2 Svetlana Kuznetsova or Wang Qiang. Furthermore, her side has Jelena Ostapenko, Madison Keys, Belinda Bencic. She is projected to play sixth seed Bencic in the quarterfinals before a tough semifinal against Kvitova.

Other tough players on her side of the draw are Coco Gauff and Kiki Bertens.

Karolina Pliskova’s tough draw at WTA Dubai 2021

Karolina Pliskova
Karolina Pliskova during her second round match against Danielle Collins of the U.S. REUTERS/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake

Pliskova‘s initial rounds are easy, but in the business end, it gets tougher. She could face former World No.1s Victoria Azarenka and Angelique Kerber in the quarterfinals. She is on the same side as Aryna Sabalenka.

Other tough players on her side of the draw are Iga Swiatek, Garbine Muguruza, and Amanda Anisimova.

Aryna Sabalenka’s tricky draw at WTA Dubai 2021

Aryna Sabalenka
Aryna Sabalenka reacts during her second-round match against Russia’s Daria Kasatkina. REUTERS/Kelly Defina

Aryna Sabalenka finds herself on a collision course with the likes of Iga Swiatek, Garbine Muguruza, and Amanda Anisimova. A tough quarterfinals draw for the Belarusian. She could face Pliskova in the semifinals.

Other tough players on her side of the draw are Angelique Kerber, Victoria Azarenka, and Elise Mertens.

Petra Kvitova easy draw at WTA Dubai 2021

Petra Kvitova
Petra Kvitova in action during her second-round match against Romania’s Sorana Cirstea. REUTERS/Kelly Defina

Kvitova has a rather easier draw compared to her rivals. She has young players in company with the likes of Ons Jabeur and Coco Gauff. She could face fifth seed Kiki Bertens in the quarterfinals. And she is on a collision course to face Svitolina in the semifinals.

Other tough players on her side of the draw are Jelena Ostapenko, Madison Keys, and Belinda Bencic.

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