Game, set, world-class match-ups

World's top women tennis players start final showdown of 2022 in North Texas

The top 8 singles players posed with the trophy at Fort Worth's Hotel Drover.

Photo courtesy of WTA

UPDATE 11-5-2022: The semifinalists are set. All semifinal matches take place Sunday, November 6 at Dickies Arena. The schedule is:

Day Session - 1:30 pm start:
(1) Barbora Krejcikova (Czech Republic) & Katerina Siniakova (Czech Republic) vs (5) Lyudmyla Kichenok (Ukraine) & Jelena Ostapenko (Latvia)
Not before 3:30 pm:
(5) Maria Sakkari (Greece) vs (6) Caroline Garcia (France)

Night Session - 7 pm start:
(1) Iga Swiatek (Poland) vs (7) Aryna Sabalenka
Followed by:
(4) Veronika Kudermetova & Elise Mertens (Belgium) vs (8) Desirae Krawczyk (USA) & Demi Schuurs (Netherlands)

More information is here and tickets are here.

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It's not as famous as Wimbledon or the US Open, but the WTA Finals will crown a new queen of the women's pro tennis tour in North Texas this week - and all are invited to court.

For the first time, Fort Worth hosts the prestigious year-end finale for the WTA, featuring the top eight singles players and doubles teams in the world. Singles players vying for title, and their rankings, are:

No. 1 Iga Swiatek (Poland)
No. 2 Ons Jabeur (Tunisia)
No 3 Jessica Pegula (United States)
No. 4 Coco Gauff (United States)
No. 5 Maria Sakkari (Greece)
No. 6 Caroline Garcia (France)
No. 7Aryna Sabalenka*
No. 8 Daria Kasatkina*

U.S. superstars Gauff and Pegula are also competing in doubles.

The "round robin"-style competition will take place October 31-November 7 at Dickies Arena, and tickets start at $20.

The prestigious year-end finale has been moved to Fort Worth from Shenzhen, China, for one year only, WTA officials say. It's the first time the contest has been staged in North Texas, and the first time it's in the United States in 17 years. The total prize money pool is $5 million.

Players assembled at Fort Worth's Hotel Drover for a celebration and "draw party" on Friday, October 28. (More on the groupings, draws, and prize money each player picks up throughout each round here.)

Each day in the first rounds, play starts at 3 pm, and both singles and doubles matches will be played. Friday through Sunday, play begins at 1:30 pm. The finals in both doubles and singles will take place at 5:30 pm and 8 pm respectively, Monday, November 7.

The initial order of play, on October 31 and November 1 is:

Monday, October 31
3 pm:
(1) Barbora Krejcikova (Czech Republic) & Katerina Siniakova (Czech Republic) vs (8) Desirae Krawczyk (USA) & Demi Schuurs (Netherlands)
Not before 5 pm:
(3) Jessica Pegula (USA) vs (5) Maria Sakkari (Greece)
Not before 7 pm:
(2) Ons Jabeur (Tunisia) vs (7) Aryna Sabalenka
Followed by:
(3) Coco Gauff (USA) & Jessica Pegula (USA) vs (6) Yifan Xu (China) & Zhaoxuan Yang (China)

Tuesday, November 1
3 pm:
(4) Veronika Kudermetova & Elise Mertens (Belgium) vs (5) Lyudmyla Kichenok (Ukraine) & Jelena Ostapenko (Latvia)
Not Before 5 pm:
(1) Iga Swiatek (Poland) vs (8) Daria Kasatkina
Not before 7 pm:
(4) Coco Gauff (USA) vs (6) Caroline Garcia (France)
Followed by:
(2) Gabriela Dabrowski (Canada) & Giuliana Olmos (Mexico) vs (7) Anna Danilina (Kazakhstan) & Beatriz Haddad Maia (Brazil)

"I’m super excited to be in the finals," says top-ranked Swiatek. "I feel like it’s a celebration of what we’ve done in the past year. I’m just proud to be here."

The eyes of the tennis world will be on DFW, too. According to NBC5, the matches will be broadcast in 160 countries to a projected viewing audience of 900 million people. Find coverage at tennischannel.com.

To keep up with the tournament, follow WTA on Facebook or visit the website.

(*Per WTA style, players native to Russia and Belarus do not have their country listed.)

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UPDATES per WTA:

Order of play for Wednesday, November 2 is:

Singles Nancy Richey Group • Doubles Rosie Casals Group
3 pm start:
(1) Barbora Krejcikova (Czech Republic) & Katerina Siniakova (Czech Republic) vs (6) Yifan Xu (China) & Zhaoxuan Yang (China)
Not before 5 pm:
(2) Ons Jabeur (Tunisia) vs (3) Jessica Pegula (USA)
Not before 7 pm:
(5) Maria Sakkari (Greece) vs (7) Aryna Sabalenka
Followed by:
(3) Coco Gauff (USA) & Jessica Pegula (USA) vs (8) Desirae Krawczyk (USA) & Demi Schuurs (Netherlands)

What happens now in singles:

Sakkari advances if she wins in straight sets Wednesday (Position in group tbd)

If Sakkari and Pegula win Wednesday, Sakkari advances as group winner and Jabeur is eliminated. (Pegula and Sabalenka would play for second spot Friday)

If Sabalenka and Jabeur win Wednesday, Sabalenka advances as group winner and Pegula is eliminated. (Sakkari and Jabeur would play for second spot Friday)

Pegula is eliminated if she loses in straight sets Wednesday

Any other combination of results will mean advancement comes down to the final matches.

What happens now in doubles:

Krejcikova & Siniakova advance if they win in straight sets Wednesday (Position in group tbd)

If Krejcikova & Siniakova and Krawczyk & Schuurs win Wednesday, Krejcikova & Siniakova advance as group winner and Gauff & Pegula is eliminated. (Krawczyk & Schuurs and Xu & Yang would play for second spot Friday)

If Xu & Yang and Gauff & Pegula win Wednesday, Xu & Yang advance as group winner and Krawczyk & Schuurs are eliminated. (Krejcikova & Siniakova and Gauff & Pegula would play for second spot Friday)

Krawczyk & Schuurs is eliminated if they lose in straight sets Wednesday

Any other combination of results will mean advancement comes down to the final matches.

Order of play for Thursday, November 3 is:

3 pm start:
(2) Gabriela Dabrowski (Canada) & Giuliana Olmos (Mexico) vs (5) Lyudmyla Kichenok (Ukraine) & Jelena Ostapenko (Latvia)
Not Before 5 pm:
(1) Iga Swiatek (Poland) vs vs (6) Caroline Garcia (France)
Not before 7 pm:
(4) Coco Gauff (USA) vs (8) Daria Kasatkina
Followed by: (4) Veronika Kudermetova & Elise Mertens (Belgium) vs (7) Anna Danilina (Kazakhstan) & Beatriz Haddad Maia (Brazil)

Round robin advancement scenarios in singles for Thursday:

If Swiatek and Kasatkina win, Swiatek advances as group winner, Gauff is eliminated (Kasatkina and Garcia would play for the No.2 spot on Saturday)

If Swiatek wins in straight sets and Gauff wins in three sets, Swiatek advances (position tbd)

If Garcia and Gauff win, Garcia advances as group winner, Kasatkina is eliminated (Gauff and Swiatek play for the No.2 spot on Saturday)

If Garcia wins in straight sets and Kasatkina wins in three sets, Garcia advances (position tbd)

Any other combination of results will mean qualification comes down to final matches.

Round robin scenarios in doubles for Thursday:

Danilina & Haddad Maia advance if they win in straight sets Thursday (Position in group tbd)

If Danilina & Haddad Maia and Dabrowski & Olmos win Thursday, Danilina & Haddad Maia advance as group winner and Kichenok & Ostapenko are eliminated. (Dabrowski & Olmos and Kudermetova & Mertens would play for second spot Saturday)

If Kudermetova & Mertens and Kichenok & Ostapenko win Thursday, Kudermetova & Mertens advance as group winner and Dabrowski & Olmos is eliminated. (Danilina & Haddad Maia and Kichenok & Ostapenko would play for second spot Saturday)

Dabrowski & Olmos is eliminated if they lose in straight sets Thursday.

Any other combination of results will mean qualification comes down to the final matches.

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UPDATES 11-4-2022:

Order of Play:

Friday, November 4
Singles Nancy Richey Group • Doubles Rosie Casals Group
Day Session - 1:30 pm Start
(6) Yifan Xu (China) & Zhaoxuan Yang (China) vs (8) Desirae Krawczyk (USA) & Demi Schuurs (Netherlands)
Not before 3:30 pm:
(3) Jessica Pegula (USA) vs (7) Aryna Sabalenka
Night Session - 7 pm Start
(2) Ons Jabeur (Tunisia) vs (5) Maria Sakkari (Greece)
Followed by:
(1) Barbora Krejcikova (Czech Republic) & Katerina Siniakova (Czech Republic) vs (3) Coco Gauff (USA) & Jessica Pegula (USA)

Rosie Casals Doubles Group Standings & Advancement Scenarios: Krejcikova & Siniakova have won the group. The winner Friday between Krawczyk & Schuurs and Xu & Yang will claim the second position. Gauff & Pegula cannot advance.

Saturday, November 5
Singles Tracy Austin Group • Doubles Pam Shriver Group
Day Session - 1:30 pm start
(5) Lyudmyla Kichenok (Ukraine) & Jelena Ostapenko (Latvia) vs (7) Anna Danilina (Kazakhstan) & Beatriz Haddad Maia (Brazil)
Not before 3:30 pm:
(6) Caroline Garcia (France) vs (8) Daria Kasatkina
Night Session - 7 pm start
(1) Iga Swiatek (Poland) vs (4) Coco Gauff (USA)
Followed by:
(2) Gabriela Dabrowski (Canada) & Giuliana Olmos (Mexico) vs (4) Veronika Kudermetova & Elise Mertens (Belgium)

Tracy Austin Singles Group Advancement Scenarios:
Swiatek has won the group. The winner Friday between Garcia and Kasatkina will claim the second position. Gauff cannot advance.

To keep up with the tournament, follow WTA on Facebook or visit the website.

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Weekend Event Planner

Comedians take top billing in the 12 best Dallas events this weekend

Courtesy photo

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Plenty of big comedians make their way through the Dallas area, but this weekend will be a tad unusual, with five notable comedy events taking place over two days. Other choices include the start of more holiday events, a conversation with a brash pundit, a symphony concert, a new local theater production, a concert from a longtime producer, a dance production, and a huge outdoor art event.

Below are the best ways to spend your free time this weekend. Want more options? Lucky for you, we have a much longer list of the city's best events.

Thursday, November 14

Holiday events
Every weekend in November will bring more and more holiday events, with three more starting this weekend. They include Holiday at the Arboretum at the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden, featuring the the 10th anniversary of their 12 Days of Christmas display and more; The Trains at NorthPark at NorthPark Center, featuring model trains traveling through small versions of American landmarks; and Gaylord Texan ICE! featuring Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer in Grapevine, featuring two million pounds of ice sculptures and more. All events will be open through January 5. (And here is a long list of the best Christmas lights in Dallas this season.)

The Eisemann Center presents An Evening with Fran Lebowitz
In a sea of pundits and talking heads, Fran Lebowitz stands tall as one of the sharpest cultural observers. Her essays and interviews dissect current events with a razor-sharp wit, taking aim at everything from tourists to after-shave lotion. Purveyor of urban cool, Lebowitz is hailed as the heir to Dorothy Parker, her insights cutting through the noise with unmatched clarity. She'll appear for a conversation at Eisemann Center for Performing Arts in Richardson.

Dallas Symphony Orchestra presents "Ravel’s Boléro"
Gershwin’s Concerto in F is a concert favorite that speaks in America’s musical vernacular - jazz - and is the perfect vehicle for the talents of pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet. Internationally renowned conductor Juanjo Mena returns to lead the Dallas Symphony Orchestra’s first-ever performance of Bartók’s The Wooden Prince. The concert will finish with Ravel's iconic Boléro. There will be three performances through Sunday at Meyerson Symphony Center.

Theatre Three presents Sleuth
A cunning mystery writer, Andrew Wyke, invites his wife's lover, Milo Tindle, to his secluded English manor, setting off a deadly game of manipulation and deceit. As the tension rises, surprising twists keep the audience guessing the dramatic end. Thie production will take place in the Theatre Too space at Theatre Three through December 15.

T Bone Burnett in concert
Musician T Bone Burnett is arguably best known for his producing work on albums for Elvis Costello, Brandi Carlile, and others, as well as his contributions to the soundtracks of O Brother, Where Art Thou?, Walk the Line, and Crazy Heart. But he has solo albums dating back to 1972, a career that is still ongoing with the release of his new album, The Other Side. He'll play at the Kessler Theater.

Friday, November 15

Rhett & Link: Good Mythical Tour
Comedy duo Rhett & Link and the Mythical Crew will present a night that will bring their show to life like never before. It features favorite segments, classic games, music, mayhem, Mythicality, and more, and audience members may even become part of the show. The performance takes place at The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory in Irving.

Hyena's presents Christopher "Kid" Reid
Christopher "Kid" Reid is best known as one-half of the late 1980s and early 1990s hip-hop musical act Kid 'n Play. Reid, who was particularly notable for his extreme high-top fade hairstyle, now tours as a stand-up comedian. He'll perform twice on Friday at Hyena's Comedy Nightclub.

Bruce Wood Dance presents Touch
As part of its latest program, Touch, Bruce Wood Dance will perform Lieder Eines Fahrenden Gesellen (Songs of A Wayfarer) by world–renowned choreographer and former artistic director of Nederlands Dans Theater, Jirí Kylián; Dvorák Serenade by legendary American choreographer Lar Lubovitch; and the return of Bruce Wood’s riveting audience favorite, RED. There will be three performances through Sunday at Moody Performance Hall.

Martin Lawrence: Y’all Know What It Is! Tour
Comedy legend Martin Lawrence comes to Dallas as part of his first comedy tour since 2016. After a 30-year acting career that saw him star in four Bad Boys movies and his own sitcom, Lawrence has gone back to his roots with an all-new stand-up show where he brings the real talk and finds the funny in everything from family to culture as only he can. He'll be joined by fellow comedians Deon Cole and Benji Brown at American Airlines Center.

Saturday, November 16

Matteo Lane: Can't Stop Talking
New York-based comedian Matteo Lane has been a part of Netflix’s The Comedy Lineup, and has self-released four specials in the past three years. He’s also appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Late Night with Seth Meyers, HBO's Crashing, and Will & Grace. He currently co-hosts the podcasts I Never Liked You with Nick Smith and Teach Me Daddy with Chris Distefano. He'll perform twice on Saturday at Majestic Theatre.

AURORA Biennial: FuturePresentPast
The AURORA Biennial, taking place at Dallas City Hall and surrounding areas, is a free public one-night-only exhibition curated by New York City-based Kendal Henry and Mexico City-based Leslie Moody Castro. Under the title FuturePresentPast, Henry and Moody Castro look into the shared experiences of North Texas, reflecting on the past to consider and shape our future through the present. Artwork themes will include bridging disconnected communities, health advocacy, environmental sustainability, and urban transformation due to displacement and migration.

Chelsea Handler: Little Big Bitch Tour
Comedian Chelsea Handler has had the bulk of her success in the 21st century, hosting The Chelsea Handler Show in 2006 and 2007, and then Chelsea Lately from 2007 to 2014. She has also written six New York Times best-selling books, hosts the advice podcast, Dear Chelsea, and released her latest special, Revolution, on Netflix in 2022. On the Little Big Bitch tour, she will give fans a retrospective look at what made her the person and comedian she is today. She'll perform at the Music Hall at Fair Park.

Photo courtesy of Chelsea Handler

Chelsea Handler will bring her Little Big Bitch Tour to the Music Hall at Fair Park on November 16.

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