The world of tennis starts a 2021 season this week that has seen its calendar altered compared to previous years due to the coronavirus pandemic and that has caused the change of date of the Australian Open, which will be held from February 8 to 21. After unveiling the new date of the first Grand Slam of the season, the ATP and the WTA have worked on the development of a calendar that allows tennis players to play tournaments before the big Australian event and that will mark the start of the season from this week.
Abu Dhabi WTA Women's Tennis Open (6-13 January)
The WTA season will start with this tournament in Abu Dhabi in which great rackets of the women's circuit will seek to premiere their record in this 2021 season. Reigning Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin will compete alongside Elina Svitolina, Karolina Pliskova, Aryna Sabalenka, Belinda Bencic, the very young Coco Gauff and the Spanish Garbiñe Muguruza They will be some of the stars to follow in the tournament, where the semi-finalist at Roland Garros Nadia Podoroska, the Tunisian Ons Jabeur and the Greek Maria Sakkari will also play among others.
Delray Beach Open by VITACOST.com (January 7-13)
The Florida tournament will host some of the great rackets on the ATP circuit. Names like the Canadian Milos Raonic, the Americans Reilly Opelka (champion of the tournament in 2020), John Isner, Frances Tiafoe or Sam Querrey, the Chilean Cristian Garín, the Frenchman Adrian Mannarino and the Polish Hubert Hurkacz will be some of the tennis players to watch during the tournament.
Antalya Open (7-13 January)
The Turkish tournament will kick off the ATP Tour season on European soil and will do so with the presence of prominent tennis players such as the Italians Matteo Berrettini, Fabio Fognini and Jannik Sinner, the Belgian David Goffin, the Australian Alex de Miñaur, the Croatian Borna Coric, the French Benoit Paire or the German Jan-Lennard Struff.