The final semifinal match of the 2025 Cincinnati Open on Sunday saw Italian Jasmine Paolini take on Russian Veronika Kudermetova.
This is the 5th time these ladies have played each other, with Kudermetova winning 3 of the 4 previous matchups. They last played at the Cincinnati Open in 2021 where Kudermetova won 2 sets to 0.
For Paolini the road to the semifinals after her 1st round bye, saw her defeat former world #3 Maria Sakkari of Greece in the 2nd round, American Ashlyn Krueger in the 3rd, Barbora Krejcikova from the Czech Republic in the round of 16, and American Coco Gauff in the quarterfinal.
For Kudermetova, she had to get through the Netherlands Suzan Lamens in the 1st round, Belinda Bencic from Switzerland in the 2nd round, Clara Tauson of Denmark in the 3rd, Poland's Magda Linette in the round of 16, and Varvara Grecheva of France in the quarterfinal.
The 1st set saw Paolini grab 2 service breaks in route to a quick set. The 2nd set would see Paolini go up 5-3, before letting Kudermetova back into sending the set to a tiebreaker. Kudermetova would go up in the tiebreaker 4-2 and cruise the rest of the way not losing another points.
Both ladies would take a short restroom break before the 3rd, which seemed to help Paolini the most. Up 3-2, Paolini would break Kudermetova and hold serve to take a 5-2 lead. Kudermetova would hold her next serve, giving Paolini the chance to serve for the match. Paolini would serve an immaculate game, and take the win punching her ticket to the final.
Jasmine Paolini defeats Veronika Kudermetova 6-3,6(2)-7,6-3.
Paolini will play Iga Swiatek of Poland in the final tomorrow.
After the match, Jasmine Paolini spoke with the media.