Double disappointment for Russian women at US Open
Russian interest in the US Open women’s singles draw is over after losses for Liudmila Samsonova and Veronika Kudermetova in their respective fourth-round matches in New York on Sunday.
Samsonova, 23, had arrived at Flushing Meadows on the back of successive WTA Tour titles and had seemed primed for a strong run at the tournament, but saw her hopes of a quarterfinal spot end at the hands of Ajla Tomljanovic.
Samsonova lost 6-7 (8-10) 1-6 at Louis Armstrong Stadium, fading in the second set against a rival who had sent Serena Williams into retirement in the previous round.
The Russian hit 24 winners compared to just nine for Tomljanovic, although the Australian produced a much higher success rate of defending her second serve at 59% to Samsonova’s 40%.
The Croatian-born Tomljanovic, 29, will next play fifth seed Ons Jabeur of Tunisia in the quarterfinals after Jabeur overcame Russian 18th seed Kudermetova in their fourth-round meeting in Queens on Sunday.
Wimbledon finalist Jabeur prevailed 7-6 (7-1) 6-4 to beat Kudermetova for the first time in their four career meetings, ending the 25-year-old Russian’s hopes of a second quarterfinal appearance at a Grand Slam after she made the last eight at Roland-Garros earlier this year.
Despite their exits, Samsonova and Kudermetova can both reflect on career-best runs to the fourth round in New York, going further than the likes of current Russian women’s number one Daria Kasatkina, who suffered a disappointing first-round defeat.
Elsewhere in the draw, three-time US Open finalist Victoria Azarenka of Belarus plays her fourth-round match against Czech rival Karolina Pliskova on Monday, while fellow Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka takes on American Danielle Collins at the same stage of the tournament.
