Kudermetova and Mertens surge back to WTA Finals semifinals
Facing a do-or-die test in Riyadh, the 2022 champions harness aggression and adaptation to topple their Italian rivals and reclaim a spot among the elite.
In the pressurized confines of Riyadh's indoor arena, Veronika Kudermetova and Elise Mertens revived their championship pedigree, dispatching Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini 6-3, 6-3 to reach their second WTA Finals semifinal as partners. The 2022 Fort Worth winners, seeded fourth, navigated a winner-takes-all clash in the Martina Navratilova Group, where Hsieh Su-Wei and Jelena Ostapenko had already clinched the top position. This victory marked a pivotal shift from a clay-season rivalry that saw the pairs collide in Madrid, Rome, and Roland Garros, with Kudermetova and Mertens claiming the opener before the Italians responded with two triumphs.
Clay patterns adapt to hardcourt pace
The duo's first encounter off clay demanded swift adjustments to the faster surface, where lower bounces favored their proactive style over the Italians' grinding exchanges. Kudermetova pinned opponents deep with inside-out forehands, setting up one–two combinations that flowed into net rushes, her crisp volleying yielding 28 winners against just seven from Errani and Paolini. Mertens anchored the baseline with shortened returns, her underspin chips disrupting rhythm and forcing mid-court discomfort for the top seeds.
A twisting backhand reflex volley from Mertens at 5-2 in the second set snuffed out an Errani lob, embodying their evolution from clay's extended points to hardcourt's decisive bursts. The Italians, who echoed their 2023 successes—titles in Rome and Beijing, plus a Roland Garros crown—with similar 2024 hauls, struggled to transplant that all-court flair. Double faults struck on the first break points of each set, Errani in the opener and Paolini in the decider, unraveling their serve under the quicker tempo.
"Part of my tactic was to be aggressive from first ball to last ball," Kudermetova said with a grin afterward, owning her role as the power driver. "Elise, she had other tactics!"
Aggression turns rivalry into dominance
Kudermetova's inside-in approaches carved angles on Paolini's forehand side, while crosscourt backhands opened the court for down-the-line finishes, pressuring the No. 1 seeds into uncharacteristic flatness. Paolini's signature forehand, lethal on slower surfaces, veered wide on game points in three of the match's final four games, amplifying the mental strain of a round-robin exit that mirrored their prior Finals finish. The Belgian-Russian pair's composure, honed through a hard-court swing shadowed by clay defeats, transformed those setbacks into fuel for this breakthrough.
As the Riyadh crowd's energy swelled with each winner, the victors absorbed the relief of advancement, their partnership's resilience shining through the tournament's unforgiving format. For ongoing updates on the action, follow the Scores, Draws, and Order of play. This semifinal berth not only avenges seasonal losses but sharpens their focus for deeper runs, blending raw power with tactical poise against fresh foes.
Semifinal horizon promises renewed fire
With the year-end stakes intensifying, Kudermetova and Mertens carry momentum forged in adaptation and execution, eyes on recapturing 2022 glory amid the Finals' electric close. Their blend of volley edges and reflex saves positions them to exploit any semifinal matchup, turning psychological resets into on-court command. The Italians' departure underscores the fine margins in elite doubles, where surface shifts and clutch moments dictate survival.
