19 June 2021, Berlin: KOMBO - Tennis: WTA Tour, Singles. Liudmila Samsonova (l) from Russia and Belinda Bencic from Switzerland compete in the final of the bett1 open on 20.06.2021 on the centre court of the Steffi Graf Stadium. Photo: Wolfgang Kumm/dpa

Bencic out to end 2-year title wait in Berlin vs. Samsonova

The Associated Press
picture alliance / Getty

BERLIN (AP) — Belinda Bencic will aim to win her first title since 2019 when she takes on qualifier and first-time finalist Liudmila Samsonova at the Berlin Open.

Bencic won her semifinal against Alize Cornet 7-5, 6-4 on Saturday after converting all four of her break points and saving eight of 10 on her own serve.

The Swiss player last won a title in Moscow in 2019 and her only final since then was a loss to Iga Swiatek in Adelaide in February. She last won a grass tournament in Eastbourne in 2015, beating Agnieszka Radwanska for her first career title.

Samsonova pulled off a major upset as she ousted two-time Australian Open winner Victoria Azarenka 6-4, 6-2. The Russian is on a six-match winning streak after coming through qualifying, and eliminated two former Grand Slam finalists, Madison Keys and Marketa Vondrousova, in the early rounds.

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