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Russia's Kasatkina helps cramp-hit Ukrainian Kalinina during Berlin WTA win / Photo: Thomas SAMSON - AFP/File
Russia's Kasatkina helps cramp-hit Ukrainian Kalinina during Berlin WTA win
Russia's Daria Kasatkina raced to the rescue when her Ukrainian opponent Anhelina Kalinina suffered with cramp during their first-round match at Berlin's WTA grass-court tournament on Monday.
This was one of the first times a Russian player has faced a Ukranian opponent on the WTA circuit since Russia's invasion began in February.
Russian and Belarusian players are allowed to compete on the WTA tour and the men's ATP, but are unable play under their national flag.
Kasatkina is ranked 12th in the world, 25 places above Kalinina, and bounced back from losing the first set for a 5-7, 6-3, 6-1 victory.
However, the Russian dashed over with some ice after Kalinina, 25, went down with cramp after winning the hard-fought opening set which lasted more than an hour.
"I didn't see what happened, I just turned my head and saw Anhelina was lying on the ground," explained Kasatkina, a semi-finalist at this year's French Open.
"Her calf was cramping, so I got her some ice and she got a bit of treatment - cramp comes and goes, but luckily she was able to finish the match."
In the second round, 25-year-old Kasatkina faces fellow Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova or Ukrainian-born Belgian player Maryna Zanevska, who meet in the first round.
D.Fischer--BlnAP
