The objective was not achieved, to get past the group stage: Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini will not be able to face the semi-finals of the WTA Finals in Riyadh, defeated in the decisive match by Chan and Kudermetova comeback in three sets.

In the challenge of truth, the two Italians, who won the gold medal at the Tokyo Olympic Games as a pair in the summer, had started well against the pair formed by the Taiwanese Chan Hao-ching and the Russian Veronika Kudermetova, in the last match of the group stage of the women’s doubles. The two couples came into this challenge with the same ranking situation, one win and one defeat. The Italians won the first set 6-3, they saw each other cancel two match points at 5-4 in the second, then they went 6-5, suffering a break to love on Errani’s serve. In the tie-break, the opponents took a 6-2 lead for the first set point, closing 7-3 and sending all in the third set with the supertie-break formula. The rivals immediately went ahead 3-1, taking advantage of the visible tiredness of the Italians, then 5-1 when the pride of the two Italians allowed them to re-attack the 5-5. Double fault by Errani with a service from below on 6-6, backhand volley by the Russian for 8-6, 9-6 after an infinite exchange for Paolini and three match points for the opponents: backhand volley by Errani and 9-7, error by the Russian for 9-8, error by Kudermetova and 9-9. Chan ready to net, 10-9 and fourth match point on Errani’s serve: cross-court volley and defeat for the Italians 11-9 in the supertie-break.

In the semi-finals Chan and Kudermetova will most likely have to face the Canadian Gabriela Dabrowski and New Zealander Erin Routliffe, who on Tuesday had beaten the Italians 6-1, 6-7, 9-11. A match that demonstrates the balance of power between the opponents.

In the singles tournament, the world number 2 Iga swiatek, reigning champion, has been eliminated after the victory of Barbora Krejcikova against Coco gauff, with a score of 7-5, 6-4. At that point it was useless for the Polish player to beat the Russian Daria Kasatkina (6-1, 6-0). Krejcikova thus closed at the top of the orange group and tomorrow she will face the Chinese Qinwen Zheng in the semifinals, while Gauff, second in the group, will challenge the world no. 1 Aryna Sabalenka.