Veronika Kudermetova vs Anhelina Kalinina Prediction & Betting Tips - WTA Rome

Prediction published on 17/05/2023, 07:00  by Steve Ashfield | Modified on 19/05/2023 at 01:30 in Tennis Predictions

11th seeded Veronika Kudermetova takes on the 30th seed Anhelina Kalinina for a place in the Italian Open final. The Russian began this outdoor clay court tournament ranked 12th but is up a place in the live rankings. Reaching the final will see her rise to tenth and winning the tournament will take her to a career high seventh. Kudermetova made it to the last eight at Roland Garros last year and will be hoping to at least repeat that next month. Her current form indicates the 26-year-old may do just that in Paris. Her most recent clay court tournament saw her reach the last four in Madrid with wins over Daria Kasatkina and Jessica Pegula. Her run ended when only winning two games against Iga Swiatek, who she may well meet in the Rome final. Three seeds have been beaten by Kudermetova on her way to the last four. Sets have been lost to both Anastasia Potapova and in the last eight, Zheng Qinwen. Kudemetova is 1-1 in prevous meetings with her opponent  with both going to a final set.  This is their first meeting on clay.

Anhelina Kalinina was ranked 47th when this Italian Open began but is now 28th in the live list. That' equals her career high ranking and see her seeded at Roland Garros. Kalinina had dropped down the rankings after losing in the last 64 of the Madrid Open. 2022 had seen her get to the last eight in that tournament. This run to the last four in Rome has seen her claw back the ground lost in Madrid. it's a welcome performance as before this tournament, both of her matches on clay this year had ended in defeat. Her first two matches in Rome were both won in straight sets. It was a tougher task in the last 16 though as she had to come from a set down to beat 19th seeded Madison Keys. Another tough battle was faced in the quarter-finals against 12th seeded Beatriz Haddad Maia. The first set was lost on a tie-break but Kalinina won the next two to progress. We back Kudermetova to get the win in this semi-final.