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Match Details
Fixture: (1) Elena Rybakina vs (7) Daria Kasatkina
Date: February 11, 2024
Tournament: Abu Dhabi Open 2024
Round: Final
Venue: Zayed Sports City International Tennis Centre, Abu Dhabi
Category: WTA 500
Surface: Outdoor Hardcourt
Prize money: $922,573
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Sky Sports
Elena Rybakina vs Daria Kasatkina preview
Top seed Elena Rybakina will duke it out against Daria Kasatkina in the final of the 2024 Abu Dhabi Open on Sunday.
Following a first-round bye, Rybakina rallied past former Australian Open runner-up Danielle Collins in three sets in the second round. She then made light work of Cristina Bucsa in the quarterfinals with a 6-1, 6-4 win.
Awaiting Rybakina in the semifinals was her nemesis Liudmila Samsonova, against whom she had lost all four times they had battled. The Kazakh was off to a flying start as she decisively claimed the first set without the loss of a single game.
Samsonova responded strongly in the second set as she raced to a quick 4-1 lead. Rybakina tried to get back into the set and went on a two-game run, but was unable to recoup the deficit completely and lost the set.
But Rybakina turned things around in the decider and broke Samsonova's serve twice to score a 6-0, 4-6, 6-2 victory. She has now reached her second final of the year.
Kasatkina knocked out Diane Parry, Ashlyn Krueger, and Sorana Cirstea to make the last eight here, where she faced Beatriz Haddad Maia. The Russian surged to a 5-2 lead but stumbled while trying to close out the opener as she got broken.
However, Kasatkina broke back immediately to take the set. She dealt the first blow in the second set to go 2-0 up, but Haddad Maia flipped the script to snatch the set from her and level the proceedings.
Haddad Maia carried the momentum into the final set and led by a break twice, but Kasatkina fought to get back on serve on each occasion. The match was eventually decided via a tie-break, with the Russian edging past her opponent for a 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (2) win.
Elena Rybakina vs Daria Kasatkina head-to-head
The two have split their previous four meetings evenly to tie the head-to-head at 2-2. Rybakina won their most recent encounter at the 2023 Canadian Open in three sets.
Elena Rybakina vs Daria Kasatkina odds
(Odds are sourced from Oddschecker)
Elena Rybakina vs Daria Kasatkina prediction
Rybakina will be relieved to finally get a win over Samsonova. Her level in the first set was simply outstanding and if she replicates that in the final, her opponent has no shot. However, the Kazakh's form did drop a bit in the second set, but she regrouped to take charge of the reins once again.
Kasatkina's newfound injection of aggression into her game paid off dividends against Haddad Maia. While she occasionally reverted to her defensive tactics instead of landing the killing blow, she remedied that as the match went on.
Overall Kasatkina hit 44 winners in the previous round, though she almost matched it with her error count, which stood at 37. While her serve pales in comparison to Rybakina's, she's able to make up for it by being a pretty great returner.
All but one of their matches have been decided in straight sets. Their last duel at the 2023 Canadian Open was a nail-biter, which was won by Rybakina. The Kazakh will be the favorite here though, given that she has been in better form than Kasatkina so far.
Pick: Elena Rybakina to win in three sets.
