Elena Rybakina and Liudmila Samsonova are set to face off in the final of the Internationaux de Strasbourg in France. Rybakina, the fourth seed in the tournament, battled through a tough semifinal match against ninth seed Beatriz Haddad Maia, securing a victory with scores of 7-6 (7), 1-6, 6-2 after nearly three hours of play. Notably, she recorded eight aces and displayed resilience by saving 8 of 11 break points throughout the contest, along with fending off a set point during the initial tiebreak.
On the other hand, Samsonova, the eighth seed, had a more straightforward path in her semifinal match against unseeded Danielle Collins, winning decisively with a score of 6-4, 6-2 in just 87 minutes. She served up four aces and managed to save 5 of 7 break points, showcasing her strong performance leading up to the final.
Historically, Samsonova has the upper hand in their rivalry, having won four out of five previous encounters. However, Rybakina did clinch their most recent meeting in three sets during the Abu Dhabi semifinals early this year, adding an intriguing dynamic to their upcoming showdown.
This final holds promise as both players have demonstrated significant skill and tenacity throughout the tournament, which is sure to make for an exciting match. Fans can look forward to a thrilling contest as they compete for the title.