There is no stopping Aryna Sabalenka at the moment. The Belarusian world No 10 won the final two tournaments of last year's shortened season and has started 2021 right where she left off.
Sabalenka, 22, now has the chance to make it three titles in a row, and will be the overwhelming favourite to do so, when she contests the Abu Dhabi WTA Women's Tennis Open final on Wednesday.
To book her place in the final at the Zayed Sports City International Tennis Centre, the fourth seed needed to overcome a potentially tricky encounter against Maria Sakkari, whose own fine form at the tournament included wins over top seed Sofia Kenin and two-time Grand Slam champion Garbine Muguruza.
But the Greek ninth seed was no match for the power and precision of Sabalenka, who produced a thoroughly dominant performance to win their semi-final 6-3, 6-2 in just over an hour.
It was Sabalenka's 14th win in a row, further extending the longest streak of her career. The Belarusian only has another 60 wins to go to equal Martina Navratilova's all-time record.
When jokingly asked if she thinks she can challenge the record, Sabalenka burst out laughing. “This is an unbelievable number," she said. "Of course, I would like to go this far, and I will do everything I can to keep winning, so we’ll see!”
For now, though, it's all about staying in the present and taking each match, and each challenge, as it comes.
"I think I'm putting my focus on to the right things," Sabalenka said. "This helps me to, first of all, not think about all the wins, and secondly, to keep winning. I need to keep focusing on my game ... and try to keep everything in the moment. It seems to be working really well for me."
It certainly is working and Sakkari was the latest player to feel the full force of the Sabalenka juggernaut.
"She played lights out tennis," the 25-year-old Greek said. "She gave me zero chances to come back, I just couldn’t find a way from the baseline. She was dictating and playing really big and strong, so I have to give it to her."
Such irrepressible form has naturally hyped-up Sabalenka's chances of winning her first Grand Slam title next month. For all she's already achieved at the age of 22 – including a top-10 ranking and eight WTA titles, and possibly a ninth – a breakthrough at the majors has yet to emerge, a fourth round at the 2018 US Open her best showing so far. Not that Sabalenka is getting too carried away, at least not publicly.
"I don’t have any expectations; I’m just focusing on my game and not thinking about winning the Australian Open," said Sabalenka, who will move up to a career-high No 7 in the rankings with victory in the final. "I just need to put my focus in the right places."
Next in line to have a crack at ending Sabalenka's winning run is Veronika Kudermetova. The Russian reached her first WTA final by defeating Ukrainian teenager Marta Kostyuk 7-6, 6-4 in the second semi-final.
While the first semi-final was a blow out – or as Sakkari put it: "I got destroyed today" – the second was a much closer and tighter contest, but Kudermetova managed to get over the line on her fifth match point.
The world No 46 was the favourite against an inexperienced, albeit talented, player ranked 53 places below her, but she will resume underdog duties in Wednesday's final. However, she held similar status in the quarter-finals against second seed Elina Svitolina and that worked out rather well for her.
"I don’t have any expectations for the final because Aryna is a top-10 player and she’s playing unbelievable," Kudermetova, 23, said. "I think she has a little bit more pressure because she is expected to win. Tomorrow, I can play free and relaxed and try to enjoy the final."
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Members of Syria's Alawite minority community face threat in their heartland after one of the deadliest days in country’s recent history. Read more
The five pillars of Islam
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
Cricket World Cup League 2 Fixtures
Saturday March 5, UAE v Oman, ICC Academy (all matches start at 9.30am)
Sunday March 6, Oman v Namibia, ICC Academy
Tuesday March 8, UAE v Namibia, ICC Academy
Wednesday March 9, UAE v Oman, ICC Academy
Friday March 11, Oman v Namibia, Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Saturday March 12, UAE v Namibia, Sharjah Cricket Stadium
UAE squad
Ahmed Raza (captain), Chirag Suri, Muhammad Waseem, CP Rizwan, Vriitya Aravind, Asif Khan, Basil Hameed, Rohan Mustafa, Kashif Daud, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Karthik Meiyappan, Akif Raja, Rahul Bhatia
More on Quran memorisation:
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The bio
His favourite book - 1984 by George Orwell
His favourite quote - 'If you think education is expensive, try ignorance' by Derek Bok, Former President of Harvard
Favourite place to travel to - Peloponnese, Southern Greece
Favourite movie - The Last Emperor
Favourite personality from history - Alexander the Great
Role Model - My father, Yiannis Davos
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
History's medical milestones
1799 - First small pox vaccine administered
1846 - First public demonstration of anaesthesia in surgery
1861 - Louis Pasteur published his germ theory which proved that bacteria caused diseases
1895 - Discovery of x-rays
1923 - Heart valve surgery performed successfully for first time
1928 - Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin
1953 - Structure of DNA discovered
1952 - First organ transplant - a kidney - takes place
1954 - Clinical trials of birth control pill
1979 - MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, scanned used to diagnose illness and injury.
1998 - The first adult live-donor liver transplant is carried out
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Spec%20sheet
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDisplay%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204.7%22%20Retina%20HD%2C%201334%20x%20750%2C%20625%20nits%2C%201400%3A1%2C%20True%20Tone%2C%20P3%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EChip%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Apple%20A15%20Bionic%2C%206-core%20CPU%2C%204-core%20GPU%2C%2016-core%20Neural%20Engine%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECamera%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2012MP%2C%20f%2F1.8%2C%205x%20digital%20zoom%2C%20Smart%20HDR%2C%20Deep%20Fusion%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EVideo%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204K%2B%40%2024%2F30%2F60fps%2C%20full%20HD%2B%40%2030%2F60fps%2C%20HD%2B%40%2030%20fps%3Cstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EFront%20camera%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E7MP%2C%20f%2F2.2%2C%20Smart%20HDR%2C%20Deep%20Fusion%3B%20HD%20video%2B%40%2030fps%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBattery%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Up%20to%2015%20hours%20video%2C%2050%20hours%20audio%3B%2050%25%20fast%20charge%20in%2030%20minutes%20with%2020W%20charger%3B%20wireless%20charging%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBiometrics%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Touch%20ID%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EDurability%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20IP67%2C%20dust%2C%20water%20resistant%20up%20to%201m%20for%2030%20minutes%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20From%20Dh1%2C849%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Zayed Sustainability Prize
How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
- Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
- Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
- Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
- Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
- Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
- Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
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Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
The biogs
Name: Zinah Madi
Occupation: Co-founder of Dots and links
Nationality: Syrian
Family: Married, Mother of Tala, 18, Sharif, 14, Kareem, 2
Favourite Quote: “There is only one way to succeed in anything, and that is to give it everything.”
Name: Razan Nabulsi
Occupation: Co-founder of Dots and Links
Nationality: Jordanian
Family: Married, Mother of Yahya, 3.5
Favourite Quote: A Chinese proverb that says: “Be not afraid of moving slowly, be afraid only of standing still.”
Cricket World Cup League 2
UAE results
Lost to Oman by eight runs
Beat Namibia by three wickets
Lost to Oman by 12 runs
Beat Namibia by 43 runs
UAE fixtures
Free admission. All fixtures broadcast live on icc.tv
Tuesday March 15, v PNG at Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Friday March 18, v Nepal at Dubai International Stadium
Saturday March 19, v PNG at Dubai International Stadium
Monday March 21, v Nepal at Dubai International Stadium
OIL PLEDGE
At the start of Russia's invasion, IEA member countries held 1.5 billion barrels in public reserves and about 575 million barrels under obligations with industry, according to the agency's website. The two collective actions of the IEA this year of 62.7 million barrels, which was agreed on March 1, and this week's 120 million barrels amount to 9 per cent of total emergency reserves, it added.
The years Ramadan fell in May
Emergency phone numbers in the UAE
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
