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 Expectations for a career breakthrough by Elina Svitolina have followed the Ukraine native for years. People kept wondering when she would grab a Grand Slam, after gaining a solid hold in the top ten. This year, she silenced the naysayers and satisfied her own longing for big titles when she won the WTA Year-end Finals in Singapore, a tournament that showcases only the top eight points’ winners for the year. Svitolina played a flawless week of tennis, without dropping a set, to capture the prestigious title. She finished the year at number four.
Photo credit Karla Kinne tennisclix.com. 

Aryna Sabalenka is DownTheTee’s player to watch in 2019. At the beginning of 2018, the 20-year-old Belarusian was ranked number 78. In November she reached number 11, having won her first two career titles: Wuhan China, a Premier 5 level tournament, and The Connecticut Open, a Premier level tournament. Sabalenka has powerful ground strokes and serve. However, her competitive nature and go-for-it attitude in the clinch took her over the line in many matches and thrilled fans the most. At the U.S. Open, Sabalenka battled Naomi Osaka in the fourth round until the eventual champion, Osaka, squeaked out the win. 
Photo credit Karla Kinne tennisclix.com. 

Odds makers, before any tennis ball was whacked,  leaned toward Serena Williams winning her 24th Grand Slam in singles, which would’ve matched that set by Margaret Court, on Saturday, September 9, inside Arthur Ashe Stadium. However, betters  weren’t expecting a Williams’ meltdown or Osaka staying in her own corner of the court in order to maintain focus and pull off the upset in her inaugural major, 6-3, 6-4.
Photo credit Karla Kinne tennisclix.com. 

Kiki Bertens won the Women’s Singles title at the Western & Southern Open in her first hard-court final of her career. Unseeded, she defeated Simona Halep, the number-one seed, in a three-set battle where the Romanian had a championship point in the second-set tiebreak but lost: 2-6, 7-6(6), 6-2. Bertens had considered retirement at the end of last year. “I think in the end of last year I ws really not happy with the way I felt,” the Dutchwoman said, as reported by the tournament web site. “I was like, okay, I don’t want to continue like this. So, if I have to feel like this all the time on the court it’s better to stop.” Fans are lucky she persevered. The win over Halep was Bertens’ tenth victory over a top-ten player in 2018.
Photo credit Leslie Billman tennisclix.com. 

Novak Djokovic finally broke through at the Western & Southern Open to win his first title at this ATP Masters 1000 tournament held in Mason, Ohio, and complete a sweep of all nine Master 1000 tournaments. He is the only player who has won all nine, since the ATP created this tier of tournaments in 1990. Additionally, he is the only player who has won all four Grand Slams at least once plus all the Masters 1000s. Djokovic defeated Roger Federer, who was seeking his eighth Cincinnati crown, 6-4, 6-4.
Photo credit Leslie Billman tennisclix.com.