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Fixture: (14) Liudmila Samsonova vs (19) Jelena Ostapenko
Date: April 29, 2023
Tournament: Mutua Madrid Open 2023
Round: Third Round (Round of 32)
Venue: Caja Magica, Madrid, Spain
Category: WTA 1000
Surface: Outdoor clay
Prize money: €7,652,174
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video
Liudmila Samsonova vs Jelena Ostapenko preview
World No. 18 Liudmila Samsonova will square off against 2017 French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko in the third round of the 2023 Madrid Open on Saturday.
Samsonova commenced her campaign in Madrid against Maryna Zanevska in the second round. She broke her opponent's serve twice to take a sizeable 4-1 lead in the first set. The Russian held on to the lead and claimed the opening set soon after.
The second set started with three consecutive breaks of serve, with Samsonova gaining the upper hand to lead 2-1. Zanevska managed to level the score to make it 3-3, but the Russian nabbed the next three games to win the match 6-2, 6-3.
Ostapenko, meanwhile, faced rising young talent Linda Fruhvirtova in the second round. The Latvian dominated the first set from start to finish, losing just six points to dish out a bagel.
Ostapenko secured an early break of serve to go 2-0 up in the second set. Fruhvirtova finally got on board by breaking her opponent's serve to make it 2-1. The teenager was able to keep the contest competitive for a bit after that, but the former French Open champion proved to be a tough nut to crack.
Ostapenko broke Fruhvirtova's serve yet again to go 5-3 up. Stepping up to serve for the match, she needed to save a break point, but managed to close out the proceedings to win 6-0, 6-3.
Liudmila Samsonova vs Jelena Ostapenko head-to-head
Ostapenko leads Samsonova 2-0 in the head-to-head. She won their previous encounter at the 2021 Luxembourg Open in straight sets.
Liudmila Samsonova vs Jelena Ostapenko odds
(Odds are sourced from BetMGM)
Liudmila Samsonova vs Jelena Ostapenko prediction
Both players scored rather comfortable victories in the previous round. Samsonova, along with Ostapenko, are two of the tour's most powerful hitters. There's not much to be offered in terms of variety or point construction in this encounter.
Both deploy a similar brand of tennis with an emphasis on overwhelming the opposition with their raw power and uber-aggressive tactics. At their best, both are capable of firing some spectacular winners, but things can take a turn for the worse once their level dips.
Samsonova has a slightly better serve compared to Ostapenko, but hasn't been able to utilize it to its fullest extent yet. The Russian has lost both of her matches against the former French Open winner in straight sets.
Samsonova's record on clay isn't something to boast about either. Ostapenko will be favored to come out on top in this contest, but it all comes down to whoever manages to play with a little more restraint.
Pick: Jelena Ostapenko to win in three sets.
