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Samsonova takes out Washington WTA title

Staff WritersAP
Russia's Liudmila Samsonova has claimed her second WTA title by winning the Washington Open. (AP PHOTO)
Camera IconRussia's Liudmila Samsonova has claimed her second WTA title by winning the Washington Open. (AP PHOTO) Credit: AP

Liudmila Samsonova hit 10 aces and won her second career WTA title by coming back to beat sixth-seeded Kaia Kanepi 4-6 6-3 6-3 in the Citi Open decider.

Samsonova, the 23-year-old Russian currently ranked 60th after needing to sit out part of the season because of her country's invasion of Ukraine, used a powerful serve against Kanepi to power through the bracket at the hard-court tournament, including a victory over reigning US Open champion Emma Raducanu.

Samsonova's other championship came last year at a grass-court tournament in Berlin. Kanepi, a 37-year-old from Estonia, was seeking her fifth trophy and first since 2013. She faded on Sunday after taking the first set and left the court for a medical timeout late in the second during a five-game run for Samsonova.

This was big-serve, quick-strike tennis between a pair of women with similar playing styles on a humid afternoon not all that conducive to lengthy exchanges or a lot of running. Some spectators held umbrellas to provide shade; portable electric fans were placed next to sideline seats to offer a bit of respite to Kanepi and Samsanova during changeovers.

Samsonova earned her first break opportunity of the match, an hour in, when Kanepi dumped a forehand into the net.

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Kanepi's mistakes kept mounting and, helped by a double-fault, suddenly the second set belonged to Samsonova.

By the end, Samsonova had won 35 of 43 first-serve points, breaking to lead 5-3 in the third before serving it out after one hour 46 minutes.

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