Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the WTA Roland Garros match.
An all-Russian clash awaits in the third round at Roland Garros as Veronika Kudermetova takes on Ekaterina Alexandrova. Both players have found strong form this spring, and with their head-to-head record tied at 3-3, fans can expect a tightly contested battle for a place in the last 16.
Veronika Kudermetova
Kudermetova (World No.46) has lost just four of her 13 matches this season and has looked sharp in Paris. She dispatched Viktoriya Tomova (No.64) and delivered a statement win over Barbora Krejcikova (No.15), even leaving the Czech with nothing in the first set (6:0, 6:3). Her serve has been a weapon — averaging 74% points won on first serve and firing 10 aces across two matches. Veronika is no stranger to pushing elite players either, having taken a set in five of her last eight matches against top-20 opposition. She also owns the only clay-court win in their head-to-head series.
Ekaterina Alexandrova
Alexandrova (No.20) has shown steady form this spring, moving well and serving with confidence. However, the third round remains her ceiling in Paris — she hasn’t progressed beyond this stage in eight years. So far, she’s beaten Elisabetta Cocciaretto (No.89) and Lucia Bronzetti (No.57), but a 63% first-serve rate underlines her vulnerability at this level. While she boasts 10 wins from 13 clay matches in 2025, her momentum has wavered recently — four of her last six outings have pushed past 19 games.
Veronika Kudermetova vs Ekaterina Alexandrova Prediction
With both Russians in excellent form, a tense encounter is anticipated. Considering their level head-to-head record, current form, and the specific challenges of clay, this match is expected to reach the 20th game.
