Liudmila Samsonova has reached a significant milestone at Wimbledon 2025, advancing to her first-ever Grand Slam quarterfinal. Currently ranked No. 19 in the world, Samsonova defeated Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in straight sets to secure her spot in the last eight, marking a breakthrough after previously losing in the fourth round of Grand Slam events on four occasions[1][3][5]. Her victory comes on the back of a notable grass-court swing, which included a dramatic win over defending champion Jessica Pegula at the Berlin tournament three weeks before Wimbledon[1].
Samsonova is known for her unique approach to competition; she deliberately avoids learning the identity of her next opponent until shortly before the match. “Don’t think about [the match] too early because I’m starting to burn my mind, overthink,” she explained about her method for maintaining mental composure[1].
In the Wimbledon quarterfinals, Samsonova will face world No. 1 Iga Swiatek, against whom she has a 0–4 head-to-head record. Their previous meetings have all been dominated by Swiatek, including their most recent clash at the 2024 US Open. This quarterfinal encounter marks their first meeting on grass, adding an unpredictable element to the contest. Observers highlight Samsonova’s serve and forehand as keys to her deep run, noting her ability to surge through draws without dropping a set[3][5].
Beyond her Wimbledon performance, Samsonova’s recent career includes reaching two WTA 1000 finals (Montreal and Beijing 2023), winning five singles titles, and leading Russia to the Billie Jean King Cup victory in 2021[1][4][6]. In 2024, she captured a title at ‘s-Hertogenbosch and reached the semifinals in Abu Dhabi, among other strong results[6].