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Thirteenth seed Jelena Ostapenko will square off against Liudmila Samsonova in the quarterfinals of the China Open.
Ostapenko has worked diligently towards her game this year. She's chalked up 36 wins from 55 matches and a title-winning run at the Birmingham Classic. The Lativian also reached the last eight at the 2023 Australian Open and secured a runner-up finish in Rome.
Ostapenko entered Beijing on the back of a third round finish at the Guadalajara Open. The 26-year-old scored a scintillating comeback win in the first round and then outfoxed Linda Noskova and Jessica Pegula en route to the last eight. She defeated the American Pegula in straight sets 6-4, 6-2.
Meanwhile, Liudmila Samsonova has had a fruitful season, garnering 30 wins from 51 matches, including runner-up finishes at the Abu Dhabi Open and the Canada Open. She also reached the semifinals at the Citi Open in Washington.
The Russian entererd Beijing on the back of a second round exit at the Tokyo Open. She began her campaign overpowering Alycia Parks and then outclassed Petra Kvitova and Marta Kostyuk en route to the quarterfinals. Samsonova defeated the Ukranian Kostyuk in a close three-set contest 6-4, 6-7(4), 7-5
Jelena Ostapenko vs Liudmila Samsonova head-to-head
Ostapenko leads the head-to-head against Samsonova 2-1. However, Samsonova won their most recent encounter at the 2023 Madrid Open.
Jelena Ostapenko vs Liudmila Samsonova odds
All odds are sourced by BetMGM.
Jelena Ostapenko vs Liudmila Samsonova prediction
Jelena Ostapenko and Liudmila Samsonova will treat fans to a hard-hitting quarterfinal as two of the WTA's biggest strikers of the ball square off in Beijing. Both players possess booming groundstrokes that can blow opponents off the court.
Ostapenko has found consistency to go with her firepower this season. The Latvian used her aggressive style to defeat Jessica Pegula in the previous round. She'll look to keep Samsonova on the backfoot by unleashing her flat groundstrokes from all areas of the court. Ostapenko's superior serving compared to previous years is also a key weapon.
However, Samsonova's athleticism and ability to chase down balls could frustrate Ostapenko. The Russian showed her never-say-die attitude in her grueling win over Marta Kostyuk. She possesses a well-disguised second serve and mixes up her shots well from the back of the court.
Both players enjoy success on the fast Beijing courts. But Ostapenko's more consistent season and recent wins over Samsonova suggest she has the edge. If the Latvian gets her shots flowing and maintains her intensity, she should have enough firepower to overcome Samsonova and advance to her second China Open semifinal.
Pick: Ostapenko to win in three sets.
Match Details
Fixture:(13) Jelena Ostapenko vs Liudmila Samsonova
Tournament: China Open 2023
Round: Quarterfinal
Venue: National Tennis Center, Beijing, China
Category: WTA 1000
Surface: Hard
Prize money: $8,127,389
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | Canada - TSN | UK - Amazon Prime Video
