Liudmila Samsonova defeated Ekaterina Alexandrova earlier Sunday to make her way into the WTA Den Bosch final. Awaiting her there was Bianca Andreescu, who managed to lock up her spot the day prior. Who do you think will take home the title? Can Andreescu claim her first grass trophy or will it be the 2021 Berlin champion reigning again?
WTA Den Bosch Final Prediction
Bianca Andreescu vs Liudmila Samsonova
Head-to-head: Andreescu 1-0
Bianca Andreescu returned to tennis after even more injuries at the French Open and it seems like this time she might be back for good. She got two wins in Paris and had no issues with the quick switch to grass after one weaker opening set in the first round. The most impressive performance was probably her defeat of Naomi Osaka in the quarterfinals with the Canadian being able to secure her spot in the final on Saturday before the rain came.
Liudmila Samsonova didn’t get that privilege and was forced to finish her semifinal against Ekaterina Alexandrova this morning, but was able to close it out quickly with a 6-1 third set. The Russian hadn’t been doing too well this season up until this event. Her hit-or-miss playstyle can mean that sometimes she’s going quiet for months, but when she’s fired up… The only set she lost on the way to the final was in the aforementioned clash against Alexandrova, who was a two-time defending champion in Den Bosch.
The 6-1 third set played earlier today likely won’t hamper Samsonova’s chances in the final. It was quick and grass is the least physically taxing surface anyway. Her power will have to survive against Andreescu’s variety and wide repertoire here. The Canadian has recently started tapping into that side of her game a bit more and it gets even more accentuated on natural surfaces. But especially if Samsonova’s serve is booming and she can land that flat +1 forehand, it’s brute force that might prevail in this exciting matchup.
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Prediction: Samsonova in 3
Main Photo Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports