Centro Panamericano de Tenis for the 2021 AKRON WTA Finals Guadalajara. Here are eight things to watch out for over the next eight days:
1. Debut Delight – Six of the eight qualifiers in singles at this year’s AKRON WTA Finals Guadalajara are making their singles tournament debuts – Paula Badosa, Anett Kontaveit, Barbora Krejcikova, Aryna Sabalenka, Maria Sakkari and Iga Swiatek.
2. Patriot Games – Giuliana Olmos (Mexico), Alexa Guarachi (Chile), Maria Sakkari (Greece) and Anett Kontaveit (Estonia) are the first players from their country to ever qualify for the WTA Finals.
3. Invincible – Only eight times has a player posted a 3-0 record in the group stage and advanced to win the title. The last time a player won the title undefeated was Elina Svitolina in 2018.
4. Age is just a Number – Iga Swiatek is the youngest player in this year’s singles competition at 20 years, 170 days old. At 29 years, 241 days old Karolina Pliskova is the oldest participant in the singles draw at the WTA Finals (ages as of the end of the tournament).
5. Czech Mates – The Czech Republic has been represented at every edition of the WTA Finals since 2011. The last 10 WTA Finals have included Petra Kvitova (2011-15, 2018-19), Barbora Krejcikova (2021), Karolina Pliskova (2016-19, 2021) and Lucie Safarova (2015).
6. Viva España – With Garbiñe Muguruza and Paula Badosa both qualifying for the WTA Finals, it is the first time since 2000 that Spain will have two players competing in the event, when Arantxa Sanchez Vicario and Conchita Martinez both played.
7. Hard Court Hero – Anett Kontaveit owns a WTA Tour-leading 36 match wins on hardcourts this year (36-10).
8. Final Flourish – Hsieh Su-Wei has reached the title match in doubles every time she has appeared at the WTA Finals, lifting the title in 2013 and finishing as runner-up in 2014 and 2019.
