Kudermetova wins against Samsonova in Korea Open. Veronika Kudermetova upsets Liudmila Samsonova, reaches Korea Open quarterfinals
The number two seed, Liudmila Samsonova, crashes out of the Korea Open on Wednesday, losing 6-4, 6-2 to Veronika Kudermetova in the quarter-final. She had to enter the Seoul set on a first match, having had a bye in the first round. She struggled with some awful unforced errors, but Kudermetova managed to run the process in 1 hour and 15 minutes.
The sudden withdrawal of Samsonova has put the top seed Daria Kasatkina as the favorite in a tournament that has already witnessed such top-flight names like the world number one Iga Swiatek, US Open runner-up Jessica Pegula and former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina withdrawing from the end.
Kudermetova scores a win over Samsonova to reach the Korea Open quarterfinals, where she will face either the American Amanda Anisimova or Bulgaria’s Viktoriya Tomova.
“It was a tough match,” Kudermetova said.
Reflecting on tough win. “Always challenging to play Liudmila, but happy to have won,” Kudermetova said.
Kudermetova broke Samsonova’s serve about halfway through the first set and served a break at the start of the second set. Though a little on her nerves closing out the match, she used Samsonova’s errors to win, using the fourth match point when Samsonova hit it in.
Getting used to Seoul weather
Kudermetova described the humid conditions in Seoul as “very challenging” and said, “We prepared for the weather, and I focused on executing my game plan.”
Other matches played saw seventh seed Ekaterina Alexandrova bow out as she lost 6-2, 7-5 to world number 163 Polina Kudermetova. Russia’s fourth seed Diana Shnaider qualified for the quarterfinals with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Carol Zhao of Canada. Fifth seed Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine clinched a last eight ticket with a comprehensive 6-2, 6-2 win against Britain’s Heather Watson.
