History of Liudmila Samsonova in Timeline

Liudmila Samsonova is a Russian professional tennis player recognized for her achievements in the sport. She has attained career-high WTA rankings of No. 12 in singles and No. 40 in doubles, marking her as a prominent figure in professional tennis. Her success reflects her skill and dedication to the sport.

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Full Timeline Career & Achievements

November 1998: Liudmila Samsonova Born

In November 1998, Liudmila Dmitrievna Samsonova was born in Russia. She is now a professional tennis player known for her achievements on the WTA Tour.

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2008: Russia's Billie Jean King Cup Triumph

In 2008, Russia had their previous triumph in the Billie Jean King Cup, before Liudmila Samsonova led the Russian team to victory again during the 2020-21 Billie Jean King Cup.

2013: Professional Debut at ITF Circuit

In 2013, Samsonova made her professional debut at consecutive ITF Circuit tournaments in Umag, though she lost both singles qualifying matches.

2014: Competes for Italy

In 2014, Liudmila Samsonova began competing for Italy.

2014: Represents Italy in Professional Tennis

In 2014, Liudmila Samsonova began representing Italy in professional tennis.

2014: Wins First ITF Title in Rome

In 2014, Samsonova won her first ITF title at a $10k event in Rome, defeating three seeded players despite being unranked. This win led to her debut on the WTA rankings at the 960th spot.

July 2016: Reaches Highest ITF Junior Ranking

On 18 July 2016, Samsonova achieved her highest ITF junior ranking, reaching the 65th spot.

2016: Returns to Top 1000

Towards the end of 2016, Samsonova managed to return to the top 1000 after reaching the final of a $10k event in Solarino.

2017: Reaches Three $15k Finals

In 2017, Samsonova reached three $15k finals in Hammamet, Pula, and Mâcon, almost halving her ranking and ending the year ranked 552nd.

2018: Ends Competition for Italy

In 2018, Liudmila Samsonova concluded her representation of Italy in tennis.

2018: Switches to Russian Flag

In 2018, Liudmila Samsonova switched to representing Russia after having represented Italy in professional tennis since 2014.

2018: Wins First $25k Title

In 2018, Samsonova won her first $25k title at the Open Castilla y León, defeating Başak Eraydın in the final.

June 2019: Career-High Ranking After French Open

On 10 June 2019, following her performance at the French Open, Samsonova reached a new career-high ranking of world No. 153.

2019: Faces Losses to Belgian Player

In 2019, Samsonova faced two losses to a Belgian player, before getting revenge at the Palermo Ladies Open by defeating Kirsten Flipkens in the first round.

2019: Failed to Qualify for Tournaments

In 2019, Samsonova failed to qualify for the main draw at the Qatar Ladies Open and the Dubai Tennis Championships.

2020: Billie Jean King Cup

In 2020, Liudmila Samsonova participated in the Billie Jean King Cup, leading the Russian team to their first triumph since 2008, ultimately winning all five of her matches in both singles and doubles.

2020: Australian Open Main Draw and Fastest Serve Record

In 2020, Samsonova qualified for the main draw at the Australian Open in Melbourne for the first time in her career. During the match, Samsonova set the record of hitting the fastest serve on the women's side throughout the entire tournament.

June 2021: Wins Maiden WTA Tour Title and Career-High Ranking

In June 2021, Samsonova won her maiden WTA Tour title at the German Open in Berlin, defeating Belinda Bencic in the final. On 21 June 2021, she climbed 43 spots to reach a career-high ranking of world No. 63.

July 2021: Explains Decision to Compete for Russia

In July 2021, Samsonova explained that she switched to competing for Russia due to the extra pressure of competing for the Italian national team. Russian sources indicated problems obtaining an Italian passport and a low level of support from the Italian Tennis Federation.

October 2021: Clarifies Citizenship Status

In October 2021, Samsonova clarified that she has never had Italian citizenship and therefore never had the option of choosing between the Russian and Italian flags.

2021: Wins First WTA Title at German Open

In 2021, Liudmila Samsonova won her first WTA title at the German Open, which was a WTA 500 title. Also, during the 2020–21 Billie Jean King Cup, Samsonova led the Russian team to their first triumph since 2008.

2021: Secures first nomination for Russian Team

In 2021, Samsonova secured her first nomination to compete for the Russian team, at the 2020–21 Billie Jean King Cup Finals.

May 2022: Reaches Top 25 and Stuttgart Grand Prix Semifinal

In May 2022, Liudmila Samsonova reached the top 25 in WTA rankings and made it to the semifinal at the Stuttgart Grand Prix, where she lost to Iga Świątek.

February 2023: Career-High Rankings in Singles and Doubles

On 27 February 2023, Liudmila Samsonova reached new career-high rankings of world No. 12 in singles and No. 59 in doubles after winning the doubles title at Dubai with Veronika Kudermetova.