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.

---

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. 7 Aryna 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.)

---

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.

---

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.

celebrities sports

Weekend Event Planner

These are the 12 best things to do in Dallas this weekend

Photo courtesy of Snowday Dallas

Snowday Dallas opens at Galleria Dallas on November 14.

Another weekend in November brings yet more holiday events, with the start of two more long-term celebrations. Other choices in and around Dallas include a comedy festival, a celebration of a renowned musical duo, a symphony concert, a former SNL cast member, a dance production, a local theater production, an opera concert, a rock concert, a Sesame Street show, and a celebration of life for a local theater icon.

Below are the best ways to spend your free time this weekend. For more options, check out our calendar for an even longer list of the city's best events.

Photo courtesy of Snowday Dallas

Snowday Dallas, along with with Santaland, opens at Galleria Dallas on November 13.

Thursday, November 12

Plano Comedy Festival
The Plano Comedy Festival is the largest comedy festival in North Texas. From rising stars to national touring headliners, this multi-day celebration showcases a diverse range of comedic talent. Headliners will include Eric Eaton, Ainsley Bailey, Jason Salmon, and Dana Gould. The festival takes place through Sunday at Mic Drop Comedy in Plano and Backdoor Comedy Club in Richardson.

The Carpenters Songbook: A Live Celebration
The Carpenters Songbook: A Live Celebration brings the brother-sister duo’s music back to the stage. With a full band and heartfelt storytelling, the concert captures the warmth, emotion, and musical brilliance of The Carpenters. It features all of their favorites, including “We’ve Only Just Begun,” “Close to You,” and “Rainy Days and Mondays.” The concert takes place at Majestic Theatre.

Dallas Symphony Orchestra presents "Ravel & Gershwin"
"Ravel & Gershwin," conducted by Stéphane Denève and featuring pianist Cédric Tiberghien, will include Roussel's Suite No. 2 from Bacchus et Ariane, Ravel's Piano Concerto for the Left Hand in D Major, Milhaud's La Création du monde, and Gershwin's An American in Paris. The concert will be performed on Thursday and Friday at Meyerson Symphony Center.

Dallas Comedy Club presents Michael Longfellow
Michael Longfellow was a cast member on Saturday Night Live for three seasons from 2022-2025. Prior to SNL, he was one of eight comedians chosen for the inaugural Netflix Introducing… showcase at the Netflix is a Joke Festival in 2022, and made his late-night debut on Conan in 2018. He'll perform five times through Saturday at Dallas Comedy Club.

Friday, November 13

Gaylord Texan presents Ice! featuring Harry Potter
Ice! featuring Harry Potter will greet visitors with a towering ice sculpture of Hedwig, Harry’s beloved owl, before sending them through 10 rooms filled with photo-worthy moments and iconic scenes inspired by the films. Themed rooms will include Hogsmeade Station, the Forbidden Forest, The Three Broomsticks, The Great Hall, and Hogwarts Castle. In the castle room, visitors can race down six two-story ice slides that lead toward the Quidditch Pitch, where the room will burst into light and color in celebration of each Hogwarts house. The holiday event takes place through January 3 at Gaylord Texan Resort in Grapevine.

Galleria Dallas presents Snowday and Santaland
Snowday takes guests on an explorable adventure through imaginative rooms and hundreds of surprises. Created to be a fully immersive journey, it features unique photo opportunities, including six extra-special photo moments with integrated cameras and lighting. Next to Snowday is Santaland, where visitors can sit back, relax, and enjoy a simulated train ride to the North Pole. They then take an enchanted path through a magical moonlit forest filled with starry lights, polar bears, and photo ops leading to Santa's majestic chalet, where Santa Claus is waiting. Santaland will be open through December 24, while Snowday will be open through January 3 at Galleria Dallas.

Bruce Wood Dance presents Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Bruce Wood Dance will open their 17th season with Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, a whimsical, heartwarming, visually captivating triple-bill. It features the Dallas premiere of Joy Bollinger’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, the celebrated Schmetterling from founder Bruce Wood, and a world premiere from the award-winning Chicago innovator, Noelle Kayser. There will be three performances through Sunday at Moody Performance Hall.

Art Centre Theatre presents Right Before I Go
Stan Zimmerman’s suicide awareness play, Right Before I Go., highlights the raw struggles of people in all walks of life that have died by suicide. The play uses real suicide notes of celebrities, veterans, bullied teens, those identifying as LGBTQ+, and people who have experienced a range of mental health calamities, as well as those who have survived attempts. The one-hour show is followed by a talkback with a local mental health professional. The production runs through November 22 at Art Centre Theatre in Plano.

Saturday, November 14

Opera Arlington presents Recuerdos
Opera Arlington will present Recuerdos (Remembrances). Featuring an ensemble of emerging artists from the Dallas-Fort Worth area, Recuerdos will take audiences on a musical journey through the traditions of Mexico, Spain, and beyond. The program will feature art songs, opera arias, selections from zarzuela, and traditional music celebrating the richness of Hispanic song and heritage while bringing generations together through the shared experience of live performance. The event takes place at Farr Best Theater in Mansfield.

Daughtry in concert
Twenty years ago, Chris Daughtry became a well-known singer after placing fourth on the fifth season of American Idol. Later that year, he released his debut album with the band Daughtry, a self-titled release that will be celebrated as part of their 20 Years Unplugged Tour. The band went on to release six albums in their career, most recently Dearly Beloved in 2021. They recently released a greatest hits album, There and Back Again. They'll play at Majestic Theatre.

Sunday, November 15

Sesame Street Live: Elmo’s Got the Moves
Elmo’s Got the Moves invites children and their families to sing, dance, and move along with their favorite friends from Sesame Street in a heartwarming, interactive celebration. The production features Elmo and his Sesame Street friends as they move and groove to fan-favorite songs, including "Sunny Days," "Elmo’s Got the Moves," and "Letter of the Day." Families will discover fun and playful ways to move, from yoga and jumping rope to cartwheeling and silly dance moves. The event takes place at Majestic Theatre.

Matthew Posey Celebration of Life
The local theater community lost an important member when Ochre House Theatre founder Matthew Posey died in early October. The actor/writer, who had small parts in films including No Country for Old Men and The Magnificent Seven, among others, will be celebrated at Gilley's Dallas. On Monday, Texas Theatre will host a screening of Posey’s last film, El Tonto por Cristo, with proceeds going to Ochre House Theater.

comedy music symphony holidays festivals kids families dance theater opera event-planner

Game, set, world-class match-ups

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

Weekend Event Planner

These are the 12 best things to do in Dallas this weekend

Burger Schmurger to open 2nd Dallas restaurant near Preston Hollow

Chip and Joanna Gaines put fixed-up Waco mansion on market for $7.4M

Cowboys star CeeDee Lamb teams up with Abercrombie on new collection