WTA Elite Trophy: Samsonova knocked out of semi-final contention after loss to Kudermetova; Zhu makes last four
Kudermetova is through to the doubles final with partner Beatriz Haddad Maia
Russia’s Veronika Kudermetova did her countrywoman Liudmila Samsonova no favours on Friday at the WTA Elite Trophy. Already out of contention of a semi-final berth, Kudermetova defeated Samsonova in a topsy-turvy battle that lasted that lasted for two hours and 54 minutes.
The result also put Samsonova out of the tournament, sending Lin Zhu into the semi-finals from the Rose group.
On Friday, it was Kudermetova who got the first strike, breaking in the seventh game of the match and holding on to that break to win the first set 6-4. She then broke early in the second to go up 3-0.
Samsonova fought back from there, winning six games in a row and 11 of the next 13 games to go up 5-2 in the third set (with a double break in hand). It was at that point that Kudermetova swung the match back her way, winning five games in a row to complete the 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 win, after saving two match points along the way.
A win for Samsonova would have put her in the semi-finals from Rose group but with all three players scoring one win each, Zhu Lin won the group based on best sets won percentage. Lin joins Daria Kasatkina and Beatriz Haddad Maia in the singles semi-finals with the last spot being decided later today.
The week is not over for Kudermetova yet as she is through to the doubles final with partner Haddad Maia.
