World number 18 Liudmila Samsonova shared her thoughts after being defeated by Zheng Qinwen in the fourth round at Roland Garros. The final score was 6-7(5), 6-1, 3-6.
In the opening set, Samsonova held a break advantage twice, but Zheng immediately broke back on both occasions. In the subsequent tie-break, Samsonova had established a 4-2 lead before ultimately losing the set.
Samsonova commented on the match: “I simply needed to win this match in two sets; the opportunities were significant. In the third set, she began serving much better, which greatly aided her and prevented me from being as aggressive as I was in the second set.”
Addressing her improved performance on clay this season, which included a career-best result at Roland Garros and reaching the final in Strasbourg, Samsonova was asked if she now considers herself a specialist on the surface.
She replied: “Yes, I started feeling this already last season, and it has improved even more this year. My technique significantly helps me – the ability to hit the ball very quickly, maintain speed, and increase the tempo.”
Samsonova added that the positive results and confidence gained during the clay season should prove to be a great advantage as she transitions to grass and hard courts, where players can naturally execute shots at higher speeds.
