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Match Details
Fixture: Belinda Bencic (Q) vs Liudmila Samsonova
Date: January 8, 2025
Tournament: Adelaide International 2025
Round: Second Round (Round of 16)
Venue: Memorial Drive Tennis Centre, Adelaide, Australia
Category: WTA 500
Surface: Outdoor Hardcourt
Prize money: $1,064,510
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Sky Sports
Belinda Bencic vs Liudmila Samsonova preview
This match is going to be very important for both players as former World No. 4 and 2020 Tokyo Olympics gold medallist Belinda Bencic is playing her first WTA 500 event since becoming a mother.
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On the other hand, Liudmila Samsonova will want to go into the first Grand Slam of 2025, the Australian Open, with some wins under her belt, as she lost her last four matches in 2024.
The 26-year-old Samsonova had started the 2024 season as World No. 13 but she won only 26 out of 49 matches in the season and finished the year as World No. 27.
Last week in Brisbane, Samsonova lost in the first round to Polina Kudermetova. In the first round in Adelaide, she defeated qualifier Marie Bouzkova in three sets. Samsonova lost the first set 1-6 and it could have been sixth consecutive loss for her, but she made a great comeback to win the next two sets 6-4, 6-1.
Belinda Bencic vs Liudmila Samsonova head-to-head
Samsonova has an edge over Bencic in the head-to-head meetings, as she has won four out of their five meetings. But still it cannot be considered a one-sided rivalry as three of their matches were decided in the final set.
Belinda Bencic vs Liudmila Samsonova odds
(Odds will be updated once available)
Belinda Bencic vs Liudmila Samsonova prediction
Bencic has the momentum on her side this time, as she came into the event as a qualifier and defeated World No. 63 Moyuka Uchijima and World No. 79 Laura Siegemund with identical scorelines 6-2, 6-3 in straight sets, to qualify for the main round.
In the first round, the Swiss took the first set 6-2 against World No. 14 Anna Kalinskaya and registered a break in the second set, before the seventh seed retired due to an injury.
The 27-year-old has won four out of the five matches she has played this season without dropping a set. And her only loss came against World No. 4 Jasmine Paolini at the United Cup.
Considering the recent form of both players, Samsonova would need some luck to win her fifth match against the World No. 421.
Pick: Bencic to win in three sets
