BERLIN – Liudmila Samsonova saved two match points before reaching the quarterfinals of the Berlin Open on Wednesday, beating third-placed Jessica Pegula 6-7 (8), 7-5, 7-6 (5).
20th place Samsonova scored 18 aces against the defending champion in a three-hour, 21-minute match in the Grass Court Tournament.
“I can’t believe I’m standing here. That’s incredible,” Samsonova said in an interview on her court. “Maybe now, adrenaline is fine, but later on I don’t think it’s that alright.”
Samsonova, who defeated Naomi Osaka in three sets on Tuesday, saved two match points to serve 5-4 in the deciding set against Pegra.
Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka’s qualifying match against Rebeka Masarova was suspended all night as the court became slippery. Play stopped after Sabalenka won the first set of 6-2.
Previously, ONS Jabeur defeated fourth-seeded Jasmine Paolini in the second round 6-1, 6-3. Parini finished runner-up at Wimbledon last year. Jabeur was a Wimbledon finalist in 2022 and 2023.
Paolini was playing for the first time since winning the French Open Doubles title with Italian Sara Ellani. Paolini lost to Erina Svitolina in the fourth round of the French open single.