Bencic out to end 2-year title wait in Berlin vs Samsonova

Posted June 19, 2021 7:00 am

The Associated Press

BERLIN (AP) - Belinda Bencic will aim to win her first title since 2019 when she takes on qualifier and first-time finalist Liudmila Samsonova at the Berlin Open.

Bencic won her semifinal against Alize Cornet 7-5, 6-4 on Saturday after converting all four of her break points and saving eight of 10 on her own serve.

The Swiss player last won a title in Moscow in 2019 and her only final since then was a loss to Iga Swiatek in Adelaide in February. She last won a grass tournament in Eastbourne in 2015, beating Agnieszka Radwanska for her first career title.

Samsonova pulled off a major upset as she ousted two-time Australian Open winner Victoria Azarenka 6-4, 6-2. The Russian is on a six-match winning streak after coming through qualifying, and eliminated two former Grand Slam finalists, Madison Keys and Marketa Vondrousova, in the early rounds.

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