 Egas Fiontech vs Anna Kallanskaya is the second semi-final for the Dubai Championships of 2024. Both players have had different roads to get to this stage. Kallanskaya entered the tournament as a qualifier and will take on Hunter in the first round. This was no problem getting through in straights, 6-1, 6-2. In the second round she took on the lucky loser, Buxa, who had come in for the injured on Shibur. And again, too easy for Kallanskaya getting through in straights, 6-3, 6-4. In the third round she took on the number nine seed, Oster Penko, who had been having a really good season so far. And after a close second set, Kallanskaya again winning in straights, 6-4, 7-5. In the quarter-finals she'd take on Coco Goff, the number three seed who had just taken out the in-form Pliskeba in the previous rounds. And after going down a set, Kallanskaya would fight back to win, 2-6, 6-4, 6-2, to advance in the semi-finals. Fiontech entered the tournament as the number one seed and would get a buy in the first round. In the second round she'd take on Stevens. This was no problem getting through in straights, 6-4, 6-4. In the third round she'd take on Svetolina, the player that beat her at Wimbledon last year. But again, Fiontech looked too good getting through in straights, 6-1, 6-4. In the quarter-finals she'd take on the number six seed and Oster Penko finalist, Zheng, who she played five times before. And again, Fiontech looked too good getting through in straights, 6-3, 6-2, to advance in the semi-finals. These two have actually never played before, mainly because Kallanskaya over the last couple of years has battled with a lot of injuries. And Kallanskaya has had her big top ten wins, not just the one against Goff. She also played really good against Rabakana last year, so Fiontech's got to be on her guard, especially because she's never played her before. But Kallanskaya's going to win this one. She's going to have to play aggressive and serve big. We know that Fiontech does sometimes struggle with that pace from Oster Penko. Of course, that's the big one that we always see her struggle against. And Kallanskaya did beat Oster Penko, so she can replicate that game, play aggressive, and hopefully not be injured because she did get a medical time out in the Goff match. She might be able to push Fiontech in this one. If Fiontech's going to win this one, she just needs to use her experience in this stage. She's the only player that's seated left in the draw. And of course, she made the final here last year, and she knows how to win these big trophies. Kallanskaya hasn't been to this stage very often, especially at this 1,000 stage. So use that experience and just be patient, because Kallanskaya might be sore from that Goff match. What a fun matchup. Great to see Kallanskaya backing up the Australian Open Quarter Finals with another good run at a big tournament. But Fiontech's just too good in this one. She's going to win this, I think, in three sets. I'm going to give Kallanskaya a set, I think maybe a hot start, but then Fiontech will weather the storm and come back and win. But let me know down in the comments below, who do you have making the final?