🎾 WTA Rome: Elena-Gabriela Ruse vs Polina Kudermetova

🎾 WTA Rome: Elena-Gabriela Ruse vs Polina Kudermetova – Match Preview

🧠 Form & Context

🇷🇴 Elena-Gabriela Ruse

• Resurgent run: After dropping outside the top 100 in late 2023, Ruse has found her rhythm again—highlighted by a 3R run in Miami and a semifinal finish in Rouen, her third career semifinal on clay.
• Madrid stumble: Lost unexpectedly in Madrid qualifying to world No. 625 Teodora Kostovic but rebounded in Rome with straight-set qualifying wins over Sierra and Siegemund.
• Clay credentials: Her physical style and topspin-heavy game thrive on clay, especially in slow, high-bounce conditions like Rome.
• H2H advantage: Beat Kudermetova in Miami recently, showing she can handle her power and redirect pace effectively.

🇷🇺 Polina Kudermetova

• Breakout campaign: Has surged toward the top 50 with strong performances in 2024—finals in W100 Dubai and Brisbane, semifinal in Merida, and R3 at Indian Wells.
• Clay adaptation: Scored her first WTA main-draw clay win in Charleston but is still growing her game on the surface.
• Rome opportunity: Making her second appearance here after falling in qualifying last year—arrives this time with momentum and higher expectations.
• Revenge angle: Will be keen to flip the script after losing in three sets to Ruse in Miami just weeks ago.

🔍 Match Breakdown

This matchup pits a seasoned clay-courter in Ruse against a rising talent in Kudermetova still refining her game on dirt.

Ruse arrives match-tough, having won two solid qualifying matches, including a straight-sets win over Siegemund—a proven clay-courter. Her comfort in long rallies and ability to mix depth and height make her a frustrating opponent in Rome’s slower conditions.

Kudermetova brings more raw firepower and a sharper upward trend overall, but she’s yet to fully translate that to clay. Her best chance will come from shortening points, stepping inside the baseline, and hitting through Ruse—but doing so consistently over a full match remains a challenge.

If this becomes a tactical, physical battle—as their Miami encounter hinted—it favors the Romanian, especially in these conditions.

🔮 Prediction

Prediction: Ruse in 3 sets. Expect another tight, gritty contest, but Ruse’s clay-court consistency and mental resilience give her the edge in Rome’s slow-burning rallies.