By Richard Pagliaro | @TennisNow | Monday, July 7, 2025
Photograph credit score: Glynn Kirk/AFP/Getty
Liudmila Samsonova barely uttered a phrase throughout in the present day’s Wimbledon fourth-round conflict.
A silent Samsonova was too busy putting declarative drives to blast into her maiden Wimbledon quarterfinal.
Contesting her twenty first profession main, Samsonova stopped Spaniard Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 7-5, 7-5, on No. 2 Court docket to advance to her first main quarterfinal in what she referred to as some of the emotional wins of her life.
“It is my first quarterfinal, so it is like actually emotional,” stated Samsonova, who saved 9 of 12 break factors in the present day. “I feel, like, it was a very powerful match as a result of she was taking part in unbelievable on grass this week.
“I did not have, like, so many spots the place I can play and say, Okay, that is going to be the suitable one. It was powerful. She was taking part in wonderful. So I do not understand how I survive, actually.”
The Nineteenth-seeded Samsonova is shy and well mannered off courtroom and never very demonstrative on courtroom.
An incredible expertise who hits an enormous ball, Samsonova prefers to let her screaming pictures—significantly her explosive forehand—do the speaking. Maybe that’s one motive why she tends to fly below the radar.
But elite opponents respect the previous world No. 12, who was born in Olenegorsk, Russia and grew up coaching in Rome after her household moved to Italy. That is as a result of so many have felt her jolting energy and know, when she’s on her sport, she will be able to dictate play on grass towards nearly anybody she faces.
Two of Samsonova’s 5 profession championships—2021 Berlin and 2024 ‘s-Hertogenbosch—have come on grass the place her flat strikes are so powerful to repel.
In final month’s Wimbledon tune-up match in Berlin, Samsonova turned tennis ball right into a wrecking ball defeating four-time main champion Naomi Osaka, US Open finalist Jessica Pegula and Queen’s Membership finalist Amanda Anisimova in succession earlier than she ran out of fuel in a semifinal loss.
This wondrous Wimbledon run is the results of Samsonova spending years studying learn how to channel her prodigious energy, add some finesse, together with the slice backhand and a drop shot and clearing her thoughts of self-imposed stress to allow her finest tennis to stream in majors.
Samsonova stated in the present day she’s labored to ascertain her id on courtroom—and that has introduced readability to her sport.
“I feel it is due to simply each particular person is rising in numerous time, just like the maturity of the particular person. It is totally different from anybody,” Samsonova stated. “So I feel I am beginning to know very properly who I’m, which participant I’m, and all the things.
“The puzzle is simply going, like, all the things collectively. I feel that is the results of all of the work that I’ve achieved up to now years. It is powerful to have, like, to compete each week if you end up simply rising and you’ve got many, , many issues in your head.”
To alleviate some stress, Samsonova’s routine contains avoiding social media as a result of she doesn’t need to know upcoming opponents too far upfront.
“Do not take into consideration too early as a result of I am beginning to burning my thoughts. Overthink, yeah,” Samsonova stated, including it’s simpler for her to keep away from draw information as a result of “social media doesn’t care about me.”
If she continues this dynamic play, quickly the tennis world shall be caring fairly a bit about her.
Spoiler alert: Samsonova faces former No. 1 Iga Swiatek, who beat Clara Tauson in the present day, for a semifinal spot.
Knowledgeable of Samsonova’s superstition of refusing to learn the draw, Swiatek joked “I will inform her.”
Swiatek has swept all 4 of their prior conferences, together with a 6-4, 6-1 win within the US Open spherical of 16 final summer time. In complete, Swiatek has surrendered simply 10 video games to Samsonova of their final three conferences.
Nonetheless, former Wimbledon women’ champion Swiatek stated she’s not shocked by this Samsonova surge as a result of she’s at her finest on sooner surfaces.
“Nicely, I do know she will be able to play nice. We performed some tight matches,” Swiatek stated. “I keep in mind the one in Stuttgart, it was tremendous intense. Yeah, she’s a participant that likes additionally quick surfaces.
“It isn’t a shock for me that she will be able to play properly right here. She additionally had some upsets, profitable towards the large gamers. She’s fairly skilled. For positive it’ll be a problem.
“She’s in quarterfinals, so she’s had a fantastic match already. She is aware of learn how to play right here. I will simply put together the identical method as earlier than every other match, and I will be prepared.”
Clearly, the five-time main champion is an enormous favourite within the match. Although Swiatek has but to win a grass-court crown, whereas Samsonova has two garden titles to her credit score so if she’s ever going to beat the Pole, SW19 is the best place to do it.
The query is: Can Samsonova maintain her nerve and whip her flat forehand into Swiatek’s heavy topspin forehand with sufficient accuracy and tempo to hurry the Pole?
The subdued Samsonova, who grew up idolizing Maria Sharapova, stated she’s intent on making main noise in her finest Grand Slam run up to now.
Don’t low cost probably the most missed lady nonetheless standing within the discipline. Even when she bows to Swiatek, this Wimbledon run reveals the Samsonova Slam story is barely beginning.
“It is unimaginable first standing, keep right here, and to be within the place to have the possibility to play quarterfinal of a Grand Slam,” Samsonova stated. “Second, I feel I will attempt to play my sport once more nearly as good as I can.
“I’ll strive my finest. I feel I can do properly. I imply, I can play a fantastic match.”
