GUADALAJARA, Mexico - Veronika Kudermetova stormed into the final of the Abierto Zapopan in Guadalajara as she shocked No.3 seed Tatjana Maria, 6-2, 6-2.
The Russian, ranked WTA World No.100, broke in the opening game of the match to establish a strong platform and went on to win the first three games, all of which were hotly contested.
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Although she subsequently dropped serve to the WTA World No.69, she would not lose a point on her delivery thereafter in the first set and added a further break as insurance.
Again the 21-year-old made a quick start in the second, breaking to love at the first opportunity, and thereafter served solidly to see the match out.
WTA World No.130 Marie Bouzkova will be her opponent in the final after the Czech came through a three-set duel with France’s Fiona Ferro, 6-3, 6-7(4), 6-0.
It all looked rather straightforward for the lower-ranked player initially as she won the opening four games with little resistance, but her opponent gained a foothold towards the end of the first set.
This momentum continued into the second, which proved a dramatic affair. Ferro established a 5-2 lead, but twice given the chance to serve out to draw level, she was unable to do so, failing to convert three set points along the way.
Indeed, Ferro dropped serve for a third time in succession to leave Bouzkova with the match in her hands. This time, though, it was the Czech’s turn to stumble with the finishing line in sight.
Both players continued to struggle with their delivery in the tiebreak, but Ferro came through on her fifth set point.
The stage seemed set for a titanic decider, but Bouzkova had too much gas for her opponent, winning it in just 27 minutes and without dropping a game.
