Veronika Kudermetova was in tears after defeating her younger sister Polina in an emotional Madrid Open clash, their first ever meeting on the professional tour.
The Russian siblings shared a heartfelt hug at the net after Veronika’s commanding 6-2, 6-2 win on Thursday. Though the result was decisive, the emotional weight of the moment was impossible to ignore.
Both players, visibly overwhelmed, had to grapple with the emotional toll of facing one another in a competitive setting after years of growing up side by side in the sport.
Veronika, ranked No.19 and a former world No.9, leaned on her experience to dominate the match, breaking serve six times and keeping a steady hand throughout. But as soon as the final point landed, she was the one wiping tears away.
‘Very heavy emotions inside me’
Veronika opened up after the match, revealing just how emotionally draining the occasion had been.
“I probably had very heavy emotions inside me both during the match and now,” she told Championat. “It's very difficult to play against your closest person, whom you support all the time.
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“You've been going together since early childhood, and I probably wouldn't wish anyone to experience the emotions that I felt today.”
Polina, who turned to the net with open arms immediately after the final point, accepted the outcome with grace, knowing full well what the match meant for them personally and professionally.
Veronika now shifts her focus to the second round, where she faces Spain’s Paula Badosa, currently ranked ninth in the world. But before that, she returns to court for doubles duty on Thursday evening (AEST), teaming up with Belgium’s Elise Mertens to take on Aldila Sutjiadi and Miyu Kato.