Rising Russian tennis star Veronika Kudermetova suffered a surprising defeat at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel in Acapulco, exiting the tournament in the semi-finals despite holding a commanding lead in the decisive set.
Kudermetova, seeded fifth in the tournament, had been having an impressive run leading up to the semi-finals. She defeated second seed Nadia Podoroska in straight sets in the quarter-finals and had only dropped one set in her previous matches. With her powerful groundstrokes and aggressive play, Kudermetova was considered a strong contender for the title.
In the semi-finals, Kudermetova faced off against the eighth seed, Sara Sorribes Tormo of Spain. The two had never played each other before, but it was Kudermetova who came out strong in the first set, taking it 6-4. She continued to dominate in the second set, winning it 6-2 and looked poised to cruise to the finals.
However, things took a dramatic turn in the third set. Kudermetova started strong, winning the first four games and taking a 5-0 lead. But Sorribes Tormo fought back and managed to win the next five games, leveling the score at 5-5. In a tense final game, Kudermetova was unable to hold on and Sorribes Tormo ended up winning the set 7-5, stunning the Russian and securing her spot in the finals.
For Kudermetova, it was a disappointing end to what had been a promising tournament. The 23-year-old had been in great form and was determined to make her mark in the tournament. Her powerful serves and groundstrokes had been causing problems for her opponents and had earned her the nickname “Kudermachine”. She had reached a career-high ranking of 28 in the world and was looking to continue her rise up the rankings.
Despite the loss, Kudermetova showed grace and sportsmanship in defeat. She congratulated Sorribes Tormo on her win and acknowledged that she made some mistakes in the crucial moments of the match. “I had my chances in the third set, but I couldn’t close it out. It’s something I need to work on and improve for the future,” she said in a post-match interview.
Kudermetova’s coach, Daria Kasatkina, also expressed disappointment but remained positive about her player’s performance. “It’s a tough loss, but Veronika played an amazing tournament,” she said. “She showed great mental strength and determination to get this far. We just need to learn from this experience and come back stronger.”
The defeat in Acapulco marks the second time this year that Kudermetova has lost a match after holding a strong lead. In January, she was up a set and a break against American Jessica Pegula in the second round of the Australian Open but ended up losing the match. Despite this, Kudermetova has shown that she has the talent and ability to compete at the highest level and will surely bounce back from this disappointment.
As for Sorribes Tormo, she went on to win the final against Canadian teenager Leylah Fernandez, claiming her first WTA title. She credited her victory to her never-give-up attitude and praised Kudermetova’s performance. “Veronika played an incredible match and it was a tough battle until the very end. I was just lucky to come out on top,” she said.
The loss in the semi-finals may be a setback for Kudermetova, but it will serve as a learning experience as she continues her journey towards becoming a top player on the tour. With her determination and talent, it won’t be long before she is back in the spotlight, competing for titles and making her mark on the WTA circuit.
