Preview: Wimbledon: Iga Swiatek vs. Liudmila Samsonova - prediction, head-to-head, tournament so far

In-form Iga Swiatek bids for her first Wimbledon semi-final when she takes on 19th seed Liudmila Samsonova in Wednesday’s quarter-final. 

The Polish star overcame a sluggish start to defeat ailing Clara Tauson in straight sets, setting up a fifth meeting with Samsonova, who ended her fourth-round hoodoo to reach the last eight at a Grand Slam for the first time. 

Match preview

Ignoring Swiatek’s dropped set against Caty McNally and slow start in Monday’s match with Tauson, the 22-time WTA champion has been almost perfect at SW19. 

Having had her grass-court expertise questioned over the years, the five-time Grand Slam champion has had a positive season on the surface this year, reaching a maiden final at Bad Homburg, even though she lost to Jessica Pegula. 

The world No. 8 has clearly not let that disappointment affect her, as evidenced by a business-like run to the last eight at the Championships, emulating her 2023 performance, and leaving her on the brink of a first semi-final in these parts. 

Monday’s victory marked the Pole’s seventh win on grass this year, matching her tally of victories from 2023, and she could record an eighth to set a new best on the surface in a calendar year, further underlining the 24-year-old’s form ahead of her second quarter-final on Wimbledon’s lawns. 

Despite an extended run without a title since winning last year's French Open, Swiatek, who will compete in her 12th Grand Slam quarter-final at 24 — the youngest to do so — aims to reach a maiden semi-final at SW19.

Samsonova will attempt to prevent Swiatek from reaching another Slam semi-final; the Pole has been involved in the last four at this year's Australian Open and Roland Garros — seeking to end a losing streak against the 22-time WTA champion. 

The 26-year-old, a five-time champion on the women's tour, has yet to drop a set en route to breaking new ground at the Championships this year. 

After four previous failures to progress beyond the fourth round at the Majors, including her 2021 run at SW19, Samsonova finally ended that hoodoo at the fifth time of asking, improving to 9-3 overall at the tournament. 

Bidding for a 10th career success at Wimbledon, the 19th seed, whose run on grass this year included reaching the semi-finals in Berlin, seeks another last-four appearance at the third Grand Slam of the year. 

Entering Wednesday's contest at 7-2 on grass in 2025, the former No. 12 player in the world aims to continue her momentum by securing the biggest win of her career to reach a first-ever Grand Slam semi-final

Tournament so far

Iga Swiatek: 

First round: vs. Polina Kudermetova 7-5 6-1 

Second round: vs. Caty McNally 5-7 6-2 6-1 

Third round: vs. Danielle Collins 6-2 6-3 

Fourth round: vs. Clara Tauson 6-4 6-1 

Liudmila Samsonova: 

First round: vs. Maya Joint 6-3 6-2 

Second round: vs. Yuliia Starodubtseva 6-2 6-1 

Third round: vs. Daria Kasatkina 6-2 6-3 

Fourth round: vs. Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 7-5 7-5

Head To Head

US Open (2024) – Fourth round: Swiatek 6-4 6-1 

Beijing (2023) - Final: Swiatek 6-2 6-2 

Dubai (2023) - Third round: Swiatek 6-1 6-0 

Stuttgart (2022) - Semi-final: Swiatek 6-7(4) 6-4 7-5 

Swiatek leads Samsonova 4-0 in their head-to-head, and the Pole is aiming for a fifth straight win over the Russian. 

Since dropping a set to Samsonova in Stuttgart three years ago, the former world No. 1 has not lost another, winning eight on the trot, further emphasising the former world No. 1’s dominance over the 19th seed.  

However, Wednesday's contest will be their first on grass, giving the former world No. 12 hope of snapping her losing sequence against the eighth seed.

We say: Swiatek to win in two sets

Unless Swiatek’s level suddenly drops, the eighth seed’s performances on grass in 2025 suggest that she is on a mission this year.  

Thus, we expect the five-time Grand Slam champion to secure a fifth straight victory over Samsonova to set up a maiden Wimbledon semi-final against Mirra Andreeva or Belinda Bencic.

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