Anhelina Kalinina of Ukraine emerged victorious in a grueling three-hour semi-final match against Russia’s Veronika Kudermetova at the Italian Open on Friday. Kalinina won 7-5, 5-7, 6-2 and dedicated her victory to her war-torn country. Despite only a half-filled Campo Centrale, fans held up Ukrainian flags in support of Kalinina, whose family home was destroyed in a Russian attack last year.
Kalinina told the crowd that it was important for her to win every match because of what Ukraine goes through. She hoped that her victory would provide a ray of hope and a few positive emotions for her country. Kudermetova and Kalinina did not shake hands after the semi-final, given the strained relationship between their countries. However, Kudermetova stated that they were athletes, and that was all that mattered.
Kalinina, who is ranked 47th in the world, has been in impressive form at the Italian Open. She defeated former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin in the third round and Madison Keys, another established American player, in the fourth round. In the quarterfinals, Kalinina played the longest match on the women’s circuit this season, a grueling 3-hour, 41-minute victory over Beatriz Haddad Maia.
Kalinina will now face either Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina or 2017 French Open winner Jelena Ostapenko in the final. The men’s semi-finals will feature Holger Rune against Casper Ruud and Stefanos Tsitsipas against Daniil Medvedev. The Italian Open is the last big warm-up before Roland Garros starts in nine days.
This is not Kalinina’s first final, as she previously reached the finale in Budapest in 2021, where she lost to Yulia Putintseva. However, this victory against Kudermetova is the biggest final of her career so far.
Kalinina’s quickness and ability to extend points were instrumental in her victory. She dictated points by stepping further into the court than Kudermetova, finding sharper angles. Despite Kudermetova’s more powerful serve, Kalinina was able to reply with a delicate lob winner midway through the second set.
Kudermetova won 16 straight points to close out the second set and erase a 5-3 deficit. However, Kalinina rushed out to a 4-0 lead in the third set and quickly closed out the victory as rain arrived.
Kalinina’s victory over Kudermetova in the semi-final of the Italian Open was a hard-fought battle. Kalinina’s dedication of the victory to her war-torn country was a poignant moment, and her hope that her victory would bring some positivity to her country was heartwarming. Kalinina’s impressive form at the Italian Open bodes well for her future, and it will be interesting to see how she fares in the final.
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