Beatriz Haddad Maia powered her way into the semifinals of the Korea Open, securing a dominant 6-2, 6-1 victory over Polina Kudermetova on Saturday. The match, played under the shadow of persistent rain showers, marked a triumphant return for Haddad Maia, who was the runner-up in the 2017 Seoul WTA 500-level tournament. The rain, which had washed out all play on Friday, forced the quarterfinals and semifinals to be played on a jam-packed Saturday schedule.
Adding another layer of intrigue to the match, Polina’s older sister, Veronika Kudermetova, was also competing in the same tournament. Veronika, ranked 25th in the world, had her own battle on the Grandstand Court, ultimately defeating Viktoriya Tomova 7-5, 6-3. The Kudermetova sisters’ contrasting fortunes created a fascinating dynamic, with Polina falling short while Veronika advanced.
Now, Haddad Maia faces a formidable opponent in her quest for the title: Veronika Kudermetova. This highly anticipated semifinal matchup pits two strong players against each other, with the winner securing a place in the Korea Open final. The possibility of Haddad Maia beating both Kudermetova sisters on the same day adds a captivating element to the competition.
Looking ahead, the other quarterfinal matches promise to be equally exciting. Top-seeded Daria Kasatkina will face off against former U.S. Open champion Emma Raducanu. Kasatkina holds a strong record against Raducanu, having won their previous two encounters without dropping a set, including a convincing 6-2, 6-2 victory in the Eastbourne grass-court quarterfinals just three months ago. Raducanu, however, will be eager to break this trend and reach her first semifinal above WTA 250 level since her historic 2021 U.S. Open win.
The final quarterfinal matchup will see fourth-seeded Diana Shnaider take on fifth-seeded Marta Kostyuk. This encounter is set to be another hard-fought battle, adding to the overall intensity and excitement of the Korea Open tournament.
