Liudmila Samsonova Wins WTA Title at 2024 Libéma Open
The Russian played in the semifinals and final today to take the title.
Liudmila Samsonova of Russia, 25, defeated Bianca Andreescu of Canada, 24, to win the Women’s Singles title at the 2024 Libéma Open in Rosmalen, Netherlands (a WTA 250 event). The score in the final was 4-6, 6-3 and 7-5 in favor of Samsonova.
This was the second match Andreescu and Samsonova have played against each other on the WTA Tour - with Andreescu winning their prior meeting. Today’s victory was the first title Samsonova has won on the 2024 WTA Tour and the fifth title of her career in single’s competition. Notably, this was the first title she has taken since prevailing at the Pan Pacific Open in September 2022. Moreover, this was the second title she has claimed from a grass court event. And finally, this was the third consecutive year in which the title was won in Rosmalen by a player representing Russia.
Heading into this tournament, Samsonova was ranked as the Number 15 tennis player on the 2024 WTA Tour, while Andreescu carried the Number 228 designation. By winning in Rosmalen, Samsonova has received 250 points in the overall rankings. Meanwhile, Andreescu has picked up 163 points.
Ekaterina Alexandrova of Russia (No. 16) was the tournament’s two-time reigning champion. This year though, she lost against Samsonova in the semifinals. Samsonova was the event’s second seed while Andreescu received a Wildcard entry into the main draw.
Samsonova arrived in the final after winning against Alison Van Uytvanck of Belgium (No. 266), Céline Naef of Switzerland (No. 161), Greet Minnen of Belgium (No. 85), and Alexandrova. (No. 138). She prevailed against the event’s third seed to win the title.
In the other half of the main draw, Andreescu defeated Eva Vedder of the Netherlands (No. 392), Yuan Yue of China (No. 38), Naomi Osaka of Japan (No. 125), and Dalma Gálfi of Hungary (No. 138). She knocked out the event’s sixth seed to reach the final.
The revised rankings for the 2024 WTA Tour will be officially released on Monday, June 17. The tour will then play two tournaments between June 17 and 23: the Berlin Ladies Open in Berlin, Germany (a WTA 500 event) and the Birmingham Classic in Birmingham, United Kingdom (a WTA 250 event). Both competitions will be played on grass courts.
Petra Kvitová of the Czech Republic (No. 54) is the reigning champion at the Berlin Ladies Open. She is currently off the tour pregnant with her first child. Instead, Coco Gauff of the United States (No. 2) and Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus (No. 3) are the event’s top two seeds this year. Samsonova is also scheduled to compete as an unseeded player - facing Veronika Kudermetova of Russia (No. 34) in the first round.
Meanwhile, Jeļena Ostapenko of Latvia (No. 13) is the reigning champion at the Birmingham Classic. She is looking to defend the title as the event’s top seed this year. She will compete against Elisabetta Cocciaretto of Italy (No. 43) in the first round.