"5 matches in 3 days" - Jessica Pegula hails runner-up Liudmila Samsonova as Russian is forced to play semifinal & final hours apart at Canadian Open

Jessica Pegula was all praise for opponent Liudmila Samsonova due to the circumstances the latter had to endure in order to reach the Canadian Open 2023 final.

On Sunday, World No. 3 Jessica Pegula took on World No. 18 Liudmila Samsonova in the summit clash of the WTA 1000 Canadian Open in Montreal. The top-ranked American obliterated the Russian, allowing her just one game throughout the match. In a mere 49 minutes, Pegula raced to victory with a 6-1, 6-0 scoreline.

It is worth noting that, just hours before the clash, Samsonova was seen in action in her semifinal match against Elena Rybakina. The rain-affected WTA 1000 in Montreal saw numerous match delays throughout the week.

Owing to the situation, Elena Rybakina’s quarterfinal match against Daria Kasatkina concluded at 3 am on Saturday. Meanwhile, Liudmila Samsonova played her Round of 16 as well as quarterfinals on Friday. The players were then forced to compete in the semifinal on the same day as the final.

Jessica Pegula acknowledged the unfortunate delays and applauded the Russian and her team for battling through despite the trying circumstances.

“First, I just wanna say congrats to Liudmila – to you and your team. You’ve had an amazing week. You are an amazing player. I wish you all continued success,” the 29-year-old said during her winner’s speech.

“And I think everyone needs to give her a round of applause. Cause she has played like five matches in three days. So, congrats to you guys. I’m sure you’ve had a long few days. So, get some rest,” she added.

---

"Shoutout to my grandma; She's from Montreal" – Jessica Pegula after winning the 2023 Canadian Open

Jessica Pegula and Liudmila Samsonova at the 2023 Canadian Open

Jessica Pegula, who was a Canadian Open semifinalist in 2021 and 2022, crossed the finish line this time around. She thus earned her career’s third title and her second WTA 1000 trophy after her Guadalajara triumph in 2022.

En route to the title in Montreal, the World No. 3 got the better of Yulia Putintseva, Jasmine Paolini, compatriot and doubles partner Coco Gauff, and World No. 1 Iga Swiatek before downing Liudmila Samsonova.

During her victory speech, the American revealed that playing the event is special for her as her grandmother is a Montreal native. She gave her a shoutout and adorably noted that her grandmother will be excited about being mentioned in the speech.

“I love coming to Canada; I love playing here. It’s been really special. I’ll say, shoutout to my grandma. She’s from Montreal, so that’s kinda cool. I hope she is watching. She’ll be really excited that I just said that,” Pegula said.

Pegula is now expected to contest the Cincinnati Open, where she is the defending quarterfinalist. After an opening round bye, she will now face the winner Martina Trevisan and Bernarda Pera in the Round of 32.