Kalinskaya Set to Clash with Fernandez for Washington Open Title

WASHINGTON: Anna Kalinskaya of Russia showcased a dominant performance, ousting British player Emma Raducanu with a 6–4, 6–3 victory on Saturday, securing her place in the Washington Open final.

Both athletes commenced with vigor, but Kalinskaya clinched the crucial first break, leading 5–4, which marked Raducanu’s first set loss in the competition.

The 25-year-old Russian athlete sustained her drive in the subsequent set, exchanging early breaks before re-establishing command and concluding the match in consecutive sets.

Reflecting on her triumph, Kalinskaya expressed her enjoyment in playing against Raducanu and attributed her success to her offensive approach.

“It was an absorbing match. It’s a pleasure competing against Emma,” stated Kalinskaya, currently ranked 48th globally. “I am pleased with my performance. I remained assertive and adhered to my strategy.”

Notably, Kalinskaya is now vying for her maiden WTA 500 title in Sunday’s final, where she is scheduled to compete against Leylah Fernandez of Canada.

Earlier that day, Fernandez navigated a significant challenge from Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan, ultimately prevailing with a score of 6–7 (2), 7–6 (3), 7–6 (3) in a demanding semi-final that extended for three hours and 12 minutes.

Rybakina narrowly secured the initial set, triumphing in the tiebreak with a pair of decisive return winners. Fernandez faced an early setback in the second set, conceding her serve, but capitalized on Rybakina’s inability to close out the match at 5–4, rallying to equalize with a tiebreak victory in the second set.

During the final set, both competitors maintained their serves throughout, yet Fernandez progressively gained assurance during the pivotal tiebreak, thereby securing her victory and advancing to her first final of the season.