Berlin Open Upsets
In a stunning turn of events at the Berlin Open, defending champion Jessica Pegula, seeded third, was ousted in the Round of 16. The American faced off against Liudmila Samsonova, the titleholder from 2021, in a grueling encounter that lasted an impressive three hours and 21 minutes, ultimately losing 6-7(8) 7-5 7-6(5).
Match Highlights
Samsonova showcased her powerful serve, landing 18 aces throughout the match compared to Pegula’s mere two.
Samsonova, despite having numerous chances to capture the first set, failed to convert four set points while leading 5-4 and 6-5. Ultimately, Pegula capitalized on a tiebreak, snatching the first set.
However, Samsonova regained momentum by breaking Pegula at 5-5 in the second set, and then securing the set to level the match.
Decisive Moments
The decisive moments came when Pegula was broken again early in the third set but displayed resilience by winning three consecutive games, creating two match points at 5-4. Yet, Samsonova’s steadfast play led to a tiebreak win, securing her advancement into the quarterfinals where she is set to meet either Amanda Anisimova or Poland’s Magdalena Frech.
Other Tournament Developments
In other developments from the tournament, Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur, who entered as a lucky loser, celebrated a notable victory against world number five Jasmine Paolini, winning comfortably 6-1 6-3. This match marked Jabeur’s first win against a top five opponent in nearly two years, amplifying her confidence ahead of Wimbledon, which is just weeks away. Following this triumph, she will challenge either Marketa Vondrousova or Russia’s Diana Shnaider in the quarterfinal stage.
Additionally, Paula Badosa, the eighth seed from Spain, also advanced to the last eight after defeating Emma Navarro with a scoreline of 7-6(2) 6-3. Badosa initially surged to a 5-2 lead after breaking Navarro twice in the first set, although Navarro mounted a comeback to force a tiebreak. Badosa regrouped and triumphed 7-2 in the tiebreaker, maintaining control in the second set until she claimed victory with a decisive break.
