January 17, 2021 The Belarusian followed “her feelings” and hammered her way to her third straight title, in Abu Dhabi. How far can she follow them in 2021? “ You have to feel for [Veronika] Kudermetova, don’t you?” one of the commentators calling the Abu Dhabi final said last Wednesday. You did, really. It was only the start of the second set, but the young Russian had already endured a terrible pounding from her opponent, Aryna Sabalenka. Worse, there seemed to be no end in sight to the barrage. Serves, returns, forehands, backhands, smashes: Sabalenka was sending them all screaming past Kudermetova. Even when Sabalenka didn’t hit the ball for an outright winner, she made it too hot for her opponent to handle.