World No. 18 Liudmila Samsonova discussed her fourth-round defeat against Zheng Qinwen at Roland Garros, which ended with a score of 6/7(5), 6/1, 3/6.
In the first set, the Russian player held a break advantage twice, but her Chinese opponent immediately broke back on both occasions. Samsonova also led 4-2 in the tie-break.
Samsonova stated: “I simply needed to win this match in two sets; my chances were significant. In the third set, she began serving much better, which greatly aided her, and for me, it hindered my ability to be as aggressive as I was in the second set.”
When asked about her successful clay-court season, which included achieving her best career result at Roland Garros and reaching the final in Strasbourg, Samsonova was asked if she now considers herself a clay-court specialist.
“Yes, I began feeling this last season, and it has improved even further this year,” she replied. “My technique, particularly my ability to hit the ball with high speed, maintain that speed, and build tempo, is a significant help.”
“The positive results and confidence gained during the clay season should be very beneficial now on grass and hard courts,” she added. “On those surfaces, you can inherently perform everything at a higher speed.”
