Anhelina Kalinina beat Russian Veronika Kudermetova in three sets, flying to the final of the Italian Open where she will face Rybakina. The Ukrainian tennis player won with the score of 7-5, 5-7, 6-2 and at the end of the match she did not shake hands with her semi-final rival, as - on the circuit - happens to almost all the crossings between tennis players of the two nationalities, following the war in Ukraine.
In the other semi-final Elena Rybakina beat Jelena Ostapenko: the Kazakh tennis player defeated the Latvian 6-2, 6-4 after the match was suspended due to rain at 4-2 for Ostapenko in the second set.
"Me in the final at the Rome International? For me it was important to win every game given what Ukraine is going through. I hope I have given some small positive emotions to my country, a little joy," Kalinina said after beating Russia's Veronika Kudermetova in three sets. "I'm a bit tired, the last two days have been very tiring, I always played on the three sets - continues Kalinina - But I'm happy to have made it". Tomorrow the final against the winner of the match Rybakina-Ostapenko: "Now I have to recover. It's not over yet, I'll still face a top player. In this tournament it's never easy, but I have great feelings, it's new for me to compete at this level."
"Why didn't I shake hands with Veronika Kudermetova? The reason is not secret, she is Russian: this is sport, but there is also something political. There is nothing personal, but war is unacceptable." Word of Anhelina Kalinina. "Who did I help in Ukraine? This is not something I want to make public. They are not too many people, anyway - she continues -. My whole family is now in Kiev, my parents teach tennis. A few days ago there was a big bombing near the training field: that's how they live." His grandparents lived in Nova Kakhovka, in the territories occupied by Russian soldiers, "but now all my relatives are in Kiev - explains Anhelina - It was impossible to stay and live there. There were too many weapons and too many soldiers near their home. It was difficult for them, they had lived there for 65 years."