Katarzyna Kawa was defeated by Anhelina Kalinina in the semi-final of the WTA Challenger tournament in Antalya. The Ukrainian won in straight sets. This was the second edition of the tournament.
Kawa Ends Losing Streak
The tournament marked a turning point for Kawa. She had been struggling in singles competition. Prior to this, Kawa had lost seven matches in a row. Her last victory was on 14 November 2025, nearly four months ago.
In the first week of the tournament, Kawa lost to Moyuka Uchijima. In the second week, she defeated Mayar Sherif, Ipek Oz and Tamara Zidansek. This led to her semi-final appearance against Kalinina.
Semi-Final Match Details
Kalinina defeated Kawa 7:5, 6:2. The first set was characterised by weak service games from both players. Eleven out of twelve games featured breaks of serve.
The situation changed towards the end of the set. Kalinina served for the set for the second time in the twelfth game. Kawa failed to score a point. Kalinina secured three set points and took the first.
The second set was different from the first. Kalinina broke serve immediately and held to lead 2:0. Kawa defended a break point in the third game.
Kalinina created three break point opportunities in Kawa’s next service game. She converted the first to take a 4:1 lead. She then closed out the set and the match.
Kalinina served for the match in the eighth game. She created two match points and converted the first.
Kalinina to Face Fellow Ukrainian in Final
This is the second consecutive final in Antalya for Kalinina. In the first edition, she lost to Uchijima. She will now face her compatriot, Oleksandra Oliynykova, who is the top seed.