Daria Kasatkina defeated Beatriz Haddad Maia 6–3, 4–6, 7–6 in the semi-final of the WTA 250 Abu Dhabi event on hard court, an upset victory against the pre-match favourite. Haddad Maia, who carried odds of 1.85, could not sustain her early dominance after taking the opening set; Kasatkina levelled by claiming the second before forcing a decisive third set that went to a tie-break. The Russian's resilience in the final frame proved decisive, securing her place in the final and extending her tournament run. The result marks a significant scalp for Kasatkina and suggests momentum heading into the title match.