WTA Guadalajara: Sakkari overcomes Collins to set up winner-takes-WTA Finals-berth against Kudermetova

Maria Sakkari has a 2-1 lifetime edge over Veronika Kudermetova in career head-to-head

Maria Sakkari at the 2022 WTA Guadalajara Open

October 21, 2022

Greece’s Maria Sakkari, the No 4 seed, came from a set down to beat Australian Open runner-up Danielle Collins in three sets at the WTA Guadalajara Open on Thursday night. The win set up an exciting quarter-final clash against Veronika Kudermetova with the winner securing the final berth at the season-ending WTA Finals in Fort Worth, Texas.

On Thursday, Collins battled from a break down twice in the first set, winning the final four games to take the first set.

However, Sakkari, a semi-finalist at the 2021 WTA Finals which were held at this same venue, bounced back to take the next two sets 6-3, 6-3 and complete the win in two hours and 17 minutes.

Earlier in the day, Kudermetova kept her hopes for a WTA Finals berth alive by knocking out the No 12 seed Jelena Ostapenko 6-4, 6-4.

“I think it’s going to be nice for tennis in general, for women’s tennis & for the spectators – Sakkari on QF showdown with Kudermetova

Sakkari holds a 2-1 edge in career head-to-head over Kudermetova. The Russian won their first meeting in 2019 while the Greek has won their two most recent clashes, including their third round Australian Open clash in January this year.

“It was meant to be, for me & Veronika to be in that spot, fighting each other to get that last spot,” Sakkari said about the upcoming quarter-final as quoted by the WTA Insider social media handle. “We’re going to give it all. I think it’s going to be nice for tennis in general, for women’s tennis & for the spectators.”

#WTAFinals update: One spot remains in both singles and doubles.

Singles – Qualified
1. Iga Swiatek
2. Ons Jabeur
3. Jessica Pegula
4. Coco Gauff
5. Caroline Garcia
6. Aryna Sabalenka
7. Daria Kasatkina
— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) October 20, 2022