Belinda Bencic vs Liudmila Samsonova Prediction WTA Adelaide Tennis Picks 1/8/25

Belinda Bencic won two qualifying matches last weekend to enter the main draw of the 2025 WTA Adelaide International. In the first round, she faced a Top 20 player in Anna Kalinskaya.

Luckily for Bencic, she didn't need to finish the match as her opponent retired while trailing 2-6, 0-1.

Until then, Bencic had hit four aces and two double faults. She also landed 57% of her first serves in play and won 88% of first-serve points (15/17). 

Bencic won 54% of second-serve points (7/13) and saved all three break points she faced on her serve.

The Swiss, ranked outside the Top 400 because of her long absence due to maternity, won 57% of return points (21/37) and converted three of five break points. 

Bencic reached the final during her last appearance in Adelaide where she lost to Iga Swiatek. This was her fourth win from five matches in 2025.

Liudmila Samsonova Preview

It's not often that Liudmila Samsonova wins matches from a set down, but she did just that in her opener at the WTA Adelaide International against Marie Bouzkova.

Samsonova won 1-6, 6-4, 6-1 in two hours and 25 minutes. The big-hitting Russian hit four aces and eight double faults. She got 46% of her first serves in play and won 70% of first-serve points (23/33).

Samsonova won 44% of second-serve points (17/39) and saved six of 10 break points. The World No. 26 had a good day behind the return, winning 46% of return points and converting five of 15 break points.

This was Samsonova's second career win in Adelaide from four appearances (lost in the first round last year). It is also her first match wins of the season after she was upset by Polina Kudermetova in Brisbane last week.

Belinda Bencic vs Liudmila Samsonova Head-To-Head

• Bencic and Samsonova have met five times on the WTA Tour.

• Samsonova leads the series 4-1, winning their last meeting at the 2023 Canadian Open in Montreal.

• Bencic famously beat Samsonova for the Abu Dhabi title that same year after saving match points.

Belinda Bencic vs Liudmila Samsonova Prediction

Samosonova is one of the most gifted power hitters on tour with a potent serve and first-strike tennis that can easily overwhelm opponents. But the Russian's high-risk style of tennis comes with so much unpredictability in results and is extremely error-prone when things fall apart. She comes into this match on the back of an exceptional performance against Marie Bouzkova.

Bencic is a class above the Czech and is a better power absorber, but that doesn't guarantee her comfort in this match. On the contrary, she has struggled to impose herself in duels against Samsonova. I think there is a reasonable chance that will happen again on Wednesday. The more Samsonova can land that first serve and dictate proceedings, Bencic could be in trouble.