Russian ace enjoys career breakthrough
Veronika Kudermetova has broken into the world’s top ten for the first time in her career, as the Russian player rose three places in the updated WTA singles rankings.
Kudermetova, 25, has benefitted from a steady season in which she reached the final of three WTA Tour events, also making the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam for the first time at the French Open back in June.
The Kazan-born player moved up to the world number nine spot on Monday – her highest rating since turning professional.
Kudermetova narrowly missed out on one of eight singles places available at the season-ending WTA Finals when she lost against Greece’s Maria Sakkari in the quarterfinals of the Guadalajara Open in Mexico last week.
The victory meant world number five Sakkari booked her place at the WTA Finals in Fort Worth, Texas, at the expense of her Russian rival.
Kudermetova will, however, contest the doubles event in Texas alongside partner Elise Mertens of Belgium.
The Russian is an accomplished doubles expert, where she is ranked number five in the world and is a former Wimbledon finalist.
Russia’s sole representative in the singles of the WTA Finals – where a total $5 million in prize money will be on offer when play begins at the end of October – will be Daria Kasatkina, who secured her place among the eight contenders last week.
Kasatkina, 25, remains her country’s number one women’s player as she also rose three spots in the updated WTA charts on Monday to number eight, one place above Kudermetova.
Kasatkina has also enjoyed a strong season in which she reached a maiden Grand Slam semifinal at the French Open, while winning tour titles in San Jose and Granby.
Elsewhere in the WTA rankings, Russia’s Liudmila Samsonova occupies the number 19 spot, one place ahead of countrywoman Ekaterina Alexandrova.
Anastasia Potapova is at number 44, while Anna Kalinskaya rose ten places to number 63.
Russians Anna Blinkova, Varvara Gracheva, and Kamilla Rakhimova are also inside the world’s top 100 women’s players.
