No.5 seed Daria Kasatkina and No.8 seed Belinda Bencic will square off for the Adelaide International 2 title on Saturday after both advanced via walkover in the semifinals.
No.9 seed Paula Badosa withdrew from her match against Kasatkina due to a right thigh injury, and No.6 seed Veronika Kudermetova pulled out ahead of her clash with Bencic due to a left hip injury.
The rivalry between 1997-born peers Kasatkina and Bencic goes back to their junior days. At pro level, Kasatkina leads the head-to-head 3-2, including their most recent meeting 6-2, 6-2 in the second round of Roland Garros 2021. However, Bencic was the victor in their only previous outdoor hardcourt encounter -- also in Adelaide, when she won 6-4, 6-4 in the 2020 first round and went on to reach the final.
Head to Head
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Badosa is still looking ahead to playing at the year's first Grand Slam, the 2023 Australian Open, which begins on Monday in Melbourne.
'Break Point': Badosa continues to work hard to find herself again
"I'm really disappointed that I had to withdraw today because I was really looking forward to the match," Badosa told the press. "Yesterday when I was playing against [Beatriz Haddad Maia], it was a very tough match, especially physical, so I felt a little bit in my abductor. I felt like I pulled it a little bit.
"Today I feel a little bit worse, so yeah, I have the Australian Open ahead, and I hope I can recover for that."
Spanish No.1 Badosa grinded through a 74-minute first set and an even longer 81-minute second set before prevailing over the Brazilian in Thursday's grueling quarterfinal.
"I think I was playing very good tennis, high level," Badosa said, reviewing the entire tournament. "Mentally I was feeling very well, as well. I played three really good matches. I think that helps me, as well, on my confidence for the tournaments ahead. Now it's something that I cannot control, so it is what it is.
"I really enjoyed the time here. I like to play here, I like to play in Australia. I always feel very comfortable playing here and coming here and starting the season here. I'm happy about my level. I'm happy with the way that I started the year, and I'm really looking forward to the rest of it."
