Kudermetova, Kovinic to meet in Charleston Open final

The two players have met just once previously where the Russian won a qualifying round match for the Shenzhen Open in China in December 2018.

Kudermetova has not lost a set in four matches this week at the Charleston Open-AP

Veronika Kudermetova of Russia and Danka Kovinic of Montenegro will play for their first WTA title Sunday in the Volvo Car Open championship in Charleston.

The 15th seed Kudermetova rolled past Spain's Paula Badosa 6-3, 6-3, continuing a run at the year's opening clay-court tournament where she hadn't lost a set in four matches this week.

The 23-year-old said she'll try not to think much about that defeat three months ago.

“I'd just like to try and work and play the final here and have fun. It's an amazing atmosphere here," she said.

Badosa, who outsed top-ranked Ashleigh Barty in the quarterfinals , tried to scratch back in the match. After losing the opening set and down 2-0 in the second, she won the next two games to tie.

Second final this year!

Veronika Kudermetova outlasts Badosa in straight sets 6-3, 6-3 to advance to the @VolvoCarOpen final! pic.twitter.com/zYlA4ElEmu

— wta (@WTA) April 10, 2021

 

That's when the two played a 12-minute game where Kudermetova saved two break points to pull ahead. She won four of the final five games.

Kudermetova said she was nervous entering the match, but called on her emotions to pull her through. “I liked it very much,” she said.

Knocks out 3 seeds to continue her dream run in Charleston! @DankaKovinic defeats the No.12 seed Jabeur 6-3, 6-2 for a spot in the @VolvoCarOpen final! pic.twitter.com/wjigMya9jF

— wta (@WTA) April 10, 2021

Kovinic, unseeded and ranked 91st in the world, defeated her third seeded opponent in Jabeur to make the final.

Kovinic was tied with Jabeur at 3-all in the opening set, then won seven straight games to take control.

It is Kovinic's first finals' appearance in a WTA tournament since a clay-court event in Instanbul, Turkey in 2016.

She topped No. 3 seed and two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova on Thursday, then dropped the opening set against 11th seeded Yulia Putintseva in the quarterfinals before rallying to victory.

Kovinic, 26, had no illusions that would change when the week began. “To be honest, I didn't feel 100 percent confident" entering this tournament, she said.

“Match by match, my game improved and my confidence raised a little bit and everything came together. I'm in the final right now.”

Kudermetova and Kovinic have met just once previously, the Russian taking a qualifying round match for the Shenzhen Open in China in December 2018.