In a high-stakes semifinal at the WTA 500 event in San Jose, Daria Kasatkina of Russia defeated Paula Badosa of Spain with decisive sets 6 2 and 6 4. The match showcased Kasatkina’s precision and consistent depth from the baseline, earning her a place in the final when the curtain rose on Sunday night in the United States.
Following the semifinal, officials confirmed the duration of the on-court interview as one hour and twenty three minutes, a reflective session that highlighted the players’ approaches, preparation, and mindset during the tournament push.
Kasatkina will contest the championship against American Shelby Rogers, who earned her spot by defeating Russia’s Veronika Kudermetova with a tight 6 3 and 6 4 scoreline in the other semi. Rogers demonstrated rapid aggression and serve accuracy that matched her opponent’s resilience, setting up a compelling final between two contrasting styles on the San Jose surface.
Kasatkina walks into the final with a resume that includes five WTA titles, a Billie Jean King Cup victory, and a junior Grand Slam singles title. She has also held a notable rank in junior circuits, reflecting a long trajectory through the sport from youth to the professional ranks. On the current WTA rankings, Kasatkina sits at number 12, a position that marks her as the highest ranked domestic player among American audiences viewing this event from Canada and the United States as a cross-border community of tennis fans. The world rankings are led by Iga Swiatek of Poland, with Anett Kontaveit of Estonia and Maria Sakkari of Greece rounding out the top three in a tightly watched ladder of players collecting points across the season.
In Washington, the other notable story from the week featured Lyudmila Samsonova of Russia, who faced Xiyu Wang of China on a journey that culminated in a place in the Washington final. This stretch of results underscores the depth of competition across the tour, with players from multiple continents pushing to advance through early rounds and into deeper stages of the season’s calendar.