Wimbledon: Iga Swiatek vs Liudmila Samsonova quarterfinal analysis

Forehand pressure, backhand production and quality returning

Iga Swiatek (WTA #8) qualified to a maiden Wimbledon semifinal with a very solid 6-2, 7-5 win over Liudmila Samsonova (WTA #19).

Historically suspicious of her chances on grass, it surely didn’t hurt Swiatek to meet in such meaningful occasion an opponent making her debut in Grand Slam quarterfinals and who hasn’t enjoyed success against the Pole. Samsonova won the first ever set of the matchup but Swiatek has taken all other 10 sets contested between them since, including the latest pair played at SW19, for a dominant 5-0 head-to-head match record.

But Swiatek’s best result at Wimbledon can’t be attributed to a favourable matchup. There’s certainly a significant upgrade to her 2025 grass court version, one looking a lot more comfortable on the surface, in control of her shots and capable of going further than ever before. The Wimbledon breakthrough follows a first career final on grass at Bad Homburg, reached just 2 weeks ago.

It is no secret that rushing Swiatek’s forehand is usually the starting point to trouble her. A strategy successfully deployed by Yulia Putintseva at last year’s edition of The Championships and by Elina Svitolina the year before.

Samsonova brought a similar gameplan to the match but came undone because Swiatek’s forehand held up a lot better this year.

For starters, the 26-year old Russian threw a relentless 1st serve attack at Swiatek’s forehand, targeting it in 36 of 41 1st serves landed.

Samsonova’s 1st serves to Swiatek’s forehand

• Deuce side: 18 of 19, 95%

• Ad side: 18 of 22, 82%

Swiatek responded by winning half (9/18) of Samsonova’s AD side 1st serves that were directed to her forehand return.

And even though the Pole won just 22% (4/18) of Deuce side points started by 1st serves to her forehand, she managed to put 78% (14/18) of those returns in play. A high value that certainly helped her get into a nice and confident forehand rhythm.

During rallies, Samsonova also opted to go after Swiatek’s forehand. It was a tactical decision that didn’t pay off as Swiatek moved smoothly, set her feet early, caught the ball in front and timed her forehand very well.

Crucial details that allowed the 5-time Major champion to rip a number of fast and heavy groundstrokes that released a “nasty” pop sound and, of greater importance to the outcome, helped win points.

Here are a few examples: