Italian Open: Kalinina wins three-hour 41-minute marathon to set up Kudermetova clash in semis
This was the longest match of the 2023 season on the WTA Tour
Ukraine’s Anhelina Kalinina in action during the 2023 Italian Open
Image Credit: AI/Reuters/Panoramic
Ukrainian Anhelina Kalinina, the No 30 seed, dug deep into her reserves and upset the No 12 seed Beatriz Haddad Maia, of Brazil, in a three-hour 41-minute marathon to move into the semi-finals of the Italian Open in Rome on Tuesday.
In a match that ended with both players in tears, Kalinina won 6-7 (2), 7-6 (6), 6-3 in what is now the longest match on the WTA Tour in 2023. She is only the second Ukrainian player to reach the semi-finals at a WTA 1000 event (after Elina Svitolina).
Kalinina, ranked No 47 in the world, will meet Russian Veronika Kudermetova, the No 11 seed, for a place in the biggest final of her career.
The pair are tied at 1-1 in career head-to-head with Kalinina winning their most recent match in three sets in Dubai.
“It feels great, but I can’t feel my body or my legs,” Kalinina said after the victory. “I think it was the longest match of my career. thanks to my coach and thanks to my fitness coach because this win is not my win. My part is 50 percent and 50 percent is my fitness coach.”
Kalinina had deefated Russian Anna Blinkova (6-2, 6-2), American Sofia Kenin (6-4, 6-2) and American Madison Keys, the No 19 seed (2-6, 6-2, 6-4) earlier in the tournament.
In the previous rounds, Haddad Maia, ranked No 15, won against Romanian qualifier Elena-Gabriela Ruse (6-2, 6-3), Pole Magda Linette, the No 17 seed (7-5, 6-4) and Colombian qualifier Camila Osorio (6-3, 6-3).
Rome WTA 1000, other quarter-finals results (Foro Italico, clay, USD 3,572,618)
- Veronika Kudermetova beat Qinwen Zheng (22): 3-6, 6-3, 6-4
- Iga Swiatek vs. Elena Rybakina
- Paula Badosa vs. Jelena Ostapenko
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