Ukraine’s Kalinina dedicates win to homeland after beating a Russian to reach Rome final

By ANDREW DAMPF
AP Sports Writer

ROME (AP) — Ukraine’s Anhelina Kalinina has beaten Russia’s Veronika Kudermetova 7-5, 5-7, 6-2 at the Italian Open to reach the biggest final of her career. Kalinina dedicated the victory to her war-torn country. Kalinina will face Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina in Saturday’s final. Rybakina beat 2017 French Open winner Jelena Ostapenko 6-2, 6-4 in a match that was suspended midway through the second set due to rain. Kalinina and Kudermetova did not shake hands after their semifinal, which lasted nearly three hours. Kalinina’s family home was destroyed in a Russian attack during the war in Ukraine.