Veronika Kudermetova and Elise Mertens will take on each other in the round of 16 of the 2023 WTA Abu Dhabi Open on February 8.
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Veronika Kudermetova won five matches in three competitions last month in Australia. She advanced to the semifinals of Adelaide 1 and Adelaide 2 (withdrew due to a left hip injury), but in the second round of the Australian Open, 113rd-ranked qualifier Katie Volynets upset her, winning 6-4, 2-6, 6-2. That three-set disaster, which has dampened her extremely hot form, is now her worst hard-court loss in terms of ranking since February 2020. The Russian, who received a bye in Abu Dhabi’s first round, has advanced to an astounding 13 quarterfinals since the previous season’s start, including winning in Dubai.
Martina Trevisan, who was a semifinalist at Roland-Garros, was eliminated by Elise Mertens in an hour and a half of play, defeating her 6-0, 6-2. The Italian, who is ranked higher, went 11 and 30, while the Belgian, who was coming off a third-round loss to eventual champion Aryna Sabalenka at the Australian Open, hit an equal number of winners and unforced errors. She struggled at various points in 2022, from Roland Garros in May to Tokyo in September, to advance past the quarterfinals. She won a title in Monastir and made it to the final eight of the 125K Tampico race for a respectable year’s end. She hopes for another successful week in the UAE after reaching the 2021 singles semifinals and winning the 2022 doubles title there.
| Veronika Kudermetova vs Elise Mertens | Match details |
|---|---|
| Date | February 8, 2023 |
| Surface | Hard courts |
| Tournament | Abu Dhabi Open |
| Stage | Round of 16 |
| Time (India) | 8:30 pm |
| Time (Abu Dhabi) | 7 pm |
| Opponent | Score |
|---|---|
| Katie Volynets | 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 (L) |
| Maryna Zanevska | 6-2, 7-6 (W) |
| Belinda Bencic | Walkover (L) |
| Danielle Collins | 6-4, 6-7. 1-6 (W) |
| Ekaterina Alexandrova | Walkover (W) |
| Opponent | Score |
|---|---|
| Martina Trevisan | 6-0, 6-2 (W) |
| Aryna Sabalenka | 6-2, 6-3 (L) |
| Lauren Davis | 6-4, 6-3 (W) |
| Garbine Muguruza | 6-3, 6-7, 1-6 (W) |
| Maryna Zanevska | 6-4, 6-4 (L) |
Elise Mertens has a 3-1 advantage, but the pair, who shared the 2022 WTA Finals championship, split their most recent two meetings during the clay-court swing of 2021. In Abu Dhabi, where she is technically the defending finalist, Veronika Kudermetova will be hoping to put her past struggles with her longtime doubles partner behind her.
| Tournament | Winner | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 Rome Open | Veronika Kudermetova | 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 |
| 2021 Istanbul Open | Elise Mertens | 6-1, 6-4 |
| 2020 Linz Open | Elise Mertens | 6-4, 6-1 |
| 2020 Cincinnati Masters | Elise Mertens | 6-2, 6-3 |
Veronika Kudermetova and Elise Mertens will take on each other in the round of 16 of the 2023 WTA Abu Dhabi Open on February 8.
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