 "Australian Open: Veronika Kudermetova, Paula Badosa in injury scares")
Adelaide: Veronika Kudermetova and Paula Badosa both pulled out of their Adelaide International semi-finals with injury problems Friday, leaving them in a race to be fit for the Australian Open. Their withdrawals gave Belinda Bencic and Daria Kasatkina free rides into Saturday’s title match. Russia’s Kudermetova, seeded nine for the opening Grand Slam of the year, which starts Monday, cited a left hip injury for her pull-out against Switzerland’s Bencic.
Say all you like, but this was Veronika Kudermetova's FIRST walkover conceded in her career.
— WTARussians (@WTArussians) January 13, 2023
As someone who refuses to concede defeat until the very last point is played, she will definitely fight for every win if she is physically able to.
[📸: Mark Brake/Getty] pic.twitter.com/UIlD3UzMbu
It followed epic three-setters in her two previous matches, with her quarter-final against Danielle Collins on Thursday extending beyond three hours. Olympic champion Bencic, who has won nine of her last 10 matches, is aiming to claim a sixth singles trophy and her fifth on a hard court. She will face world number eight Kasatkina, who is gunning for a seventh WTA title and her second in Australia, having claimed the Phillip Island Trophy last year. Kasatkina progressed when Spain’s Badosa, seeded 11th at Melbourne Park, opted out because of a thigh injury. “Yesterday when I was playing it was a very tough match, especially physical, so I felt a little bit in my abductor. I felt like I pulled it a little bit,” said Badosa. The Spaniard battled through a gruelling quarter-final clash with Brazil’s Beatriz Haddad Maia that stretched beyond two-and-a-half hours. “Today I feel a little bit worse, I have the Australian Open ahead, and I hope I can recover for that,” she added.
The Grand Slam has been hit by numerous withdrawals in both the men’s and women’s fields, including two-time former champion Naomi Osaka, who is expecting her first child. In the men’s draw, South Korea’s Kwon Soon-woo dominated from the baseline to overpower Britain’s Jack Draper 7-6 (8/6), 6-7 (2/7), 6-3, and surge into the final. Kwon lost to Draper – who is Rafael Nadal’s first-round opponent at the Australian Open – in the first of two Adelaide tournaments and was set to miss this week’s event after losing to Tomas Machac in the final round of qualifying. But he sneaked in as a lucky loser and is now in a final against Spanish fourth seed Roberto Bautista Agut, who ousted Australia’s Thanasi Kokkinakis 7-6 (7/4), 3-6, 6-3. “It was a very difficult match today,” said Kwon. “I’m just really happy to win today… Last week he played very well, so I tried to just enjoy this match and be positive. I tried to be more aggressive.” Read all the Latest News , Trending News , Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
 "Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?")
 "As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland")
 "Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar")
 "Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe")
 "Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?")
 "As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland")
 "Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar")
 "Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe")
