The WTA-500 tournament continues in Guadalajara (Mexico). Russian Veronika Kudermetova (26th racket of the world) unexpectedly lost to Victoria Jimenez-Kasintseva from Andorra (No. 123) – 4:6, 2:6. But the main event of the evening was not the defeat, but what happened after the match.

A match full of breaks

The meeting began with service problems typical for the tournament in Guadalajara. Altitude and unstable conditions traditionally make it difficult for tennis players to feel confident on their first serve. In the first set, Kudermetova’s ball flew quickly: eight aces, but her hitting percentage was low – only 51%.

Jimenez-Kasintseva looked more collected. She held 75% of her first serve and did a better job of making rallies on the second. It was stability that became the key factor: in the tenth game, the Andorran tennis player broke the Russian’s serve and closed the set – 6:4.

Veronika Kudermetova / Photo: © Dylan Buell / Stringer / Getty Images Sport / Gettyimages.ru

In the second game, Kudermetova tried to return to the game, but her opponent continued to dictate terms. Already in the first games, the Russian missed four break points, and Jimenez-Kasintseva immediately punished her for her wastefulness by scoring her own break. As a result, the set ended even more convincingly – 6:2 in favor of the tennis player from Andorra.

After Victoria converted the match point, the spectators waited for the traditional gesture of respect at the net. But Kudermetova silently collected her racket and headed to her bench, completely ignoring her opponent. This kind of behavior is rare on tour and is usually associated with either open conflict or the athlete’s principled position. However, in this case there were no quarrels or controversial episodes on the court. The reason for Kudermetova’s refusal remained a mystery; it seems that she simply could not cope with her emotions after the defeat.

Great success for Andorra

For 20-year-old Victoria Jimenez-Kasintseva, this victory was a real breakthrough. Previously, she tried her hand at opponents from the top 50 six times and was defeated each time. Now she managed to beat a tennis player ranked 26th in the world ranking. She will face Iva Jovic in the next round.

For Veronica, this loss was already the fourth this season to an opponent from outside the top 100. At the same time, the Russian woman approached the tournament as a favorite – she was the last Russian representative in the bracket.

Veronika Kudermetova / Photo: © Dylan Buell / Stringer / Getty Images Sport / Gettyimages.ru

Kudermetova’s failures look particularly contrasting against the background of her status: not long ago she played at large stages of the “thousands” and was in the top 15. Now a series of breakdowns against little-known tennis players raises questions about her psychological state and preparation.

Kudermetova will have to recover not only physically, but also mentally. She needs to break the series of losses to lower-level players and prove that her place in the top 30 of the world ranking is deserved. In the meantime, less is said about her tennis than about the scandalous gesture after the match.