"It's really important to win every match, because of what Ukraine is going through," said the 47th player in the world after dominating the Russian, 12th in the world, after a duel of nearly three hours (7-5, 5-7, 6-2).

"I really hope to give a tiny light, maybe positive emotions to my country," added the one who refused to greet her opponent after the match.

"We didn't shake hands because this girl is from Russia. It's not a secret, it's because this country is attacking Ukraine," she told a news conference an hour later.

"Yes, it's sport, but there's also a bit of politics. There is nothing personal, but generally speaking, it is not acceptable," she added.

Kudermetova, asked about her relationship with the Ukrainian, refrained from engaging in the extra-sporting field: "We love everything we do here, no matter what country we come from. We are athletes and that's it. We are here to play tennis," the Russian told reporters.

"It's their life, now"

With this particular victory, acquired with legs of fire despite the 3h41 spent on court in the quarterfinals Tuesday, Kalinina achieves, at 26 years old, the best performance of her career by reaching the final of a WTA 1000 tournament, the category just below the Grand Slams.

Ukraine's Anhelina Kalinina serves during her semifinal victory at the WTA 1000 tournament in Rome on May 19, 2023. © Tiziana FABI / AFP/Archives

She also secured a career finish of 25th in the upcoming WTA rankings (her best ranking so far was 28th in March). If she wins the final, she will even reach 20th place in the world.

Author of a very regular match, apart from a small empty passage that cost her the second set, the Ukrainian will meet Saturday in the final the Kazakhstani Elena Rybakina (N.6 world) or the Latvian Jelena Ostapenko (20th), to try to succeed the Roman record to Iga Swiatek, who abandoned on injury in the quarters.

If she knows that she will have a lot to do in the final, Kalinina will be keen to continue this "incredible" journey by thinking of her family who are currently in Ukraine.

"My whole family is now in Kiev. Near where they work – my mother and father are tennis coaches – there was a huge bomb near the tennis courts. At 300 meters, there was an airport, there is no more airport. It's their life now," she said, very moved.

She also explained that her grandparents had recently had to leave Nova Kakhovka, near Kherson, after the occupation of their town by the Russian army: "They are very old, it was a very difficult decision for them to make, it is not normal life," she stressed.

To find the energy to string together marathon matches, the Ukrainian insisted on the support of the Italian public since the beginning of the tournament. "I feel this support a lot, I've never experienced anything like this before. They bring so much energy even when I don't have any more," she said.

© 2023 AFP