The first WTA tournament of the year is coming to an end.
The semifinals are scheduled for Tuesday, starting at 10:00, in the complex in the United Arab Emirates.
The second game of the day, the one between Marta Kostyuk and Veronika Kudermetova, caught my attention.
It will be played a quarter of an hour later after the end of the duel between Maria Sakkari and Aryna Sabalenka, which you have already analyzed on the first page of our site.
In the following you can read the presentation of the second semifinal, and at the end of the article you will find my prediction.

Marta Kostyuk: Team form, news and statistics

The 99th place in the WTA rankings is the surprise presence in the semifinals of the competition in Abu Dhabi.
For Marta, it is the first presence in the ace square in a WTA competition.
She managed to reach this stage without defeating any opponent who would be the series leader: Hradecka, Hsieh, Zidansek and Sorribes Tormo.
The 18-year-old player is capable of impressive shots, but at the same time she has long periods of falling during matches.
This was also seen in the quarterfinal match, with Sara Sorribes Tormo. The sportswoman from Spain won the first set 6-0, then won the first game of the second act, leaving the impression that she will qualify for the semifinals.
From that moment, Sara made many unprovoked mistakes, allowed her young opponent to return, and Kostyuk took the opportunity: 0-6, 6-1, 6-4.

Veronika Kudermetova: Team form, news and statistics

The 23-year-old Russian woman continues the very good form shown at the end of the previous season.
Veronika managed to reach the quarterfinals in Ostrava and Linz, defeating important opponents along the way: Karolina Pliskova, Donna Vekic or Arantxa Rus.
The 46th place in the world started this tournament in Abu Dhabi with an unexpected result: she defeated Annett Kontaveit in only two sets, although the Estonian player was considered the favorite.
Service is a real weapon for Kudermetova.
She served 10 aces in the success of round 3 with the Iberian Paula Badosa Gibert, respectively 11 in the quarterfinals with Elina Svitolina.
Monday’s victory was the fifth in his career against a WTA Top 5 opponent.

🎾Statistics of direct matches Marta Kostyuk vs Veronika Kudermetova

It is the first direct match between the two players.

Tennis Prediction of the Day Marta Kostyuk vs Veronika Kudermetova

Veronika showed a much more consistent tennis than her opponent in the semifinals in Abu Dhabi.
The Russian’s service works close to maximum capacity – she has managed at least 10 aces in the last two matches of this tournament.
From a physical point of view, Kudermetova can dominate her opponent, given that she is 6 centimeters taller than the Ukrainian.
Marta also has to face the lack of experience at this level.
For the 18-year-old, it is her first appearance in the semifinals of a WTA level tournament. If she will have the same evolving fluctuations, as happened in the quarterfinal match, I don’t think Marta has any chance against the much more experienced Kudermetova.

Prediction Today: Victorie Kudermetova
Odds: 1.67