🎾 WTA Madrid R2: Liudmila Samsonova vs Caroline Dolehide

🎾 WTA Madrid R2: Liudmila Samsonova vs Caroline Dolehide

🧠 Form & Context

Liudmila Samsonova
🇷🇺 Elite ceiling, inconsistent delivery: Samsonova opened her 2025 campaign with a semifinal run in Adelaide and a quarterfinal appearance in Indian Wells—her third WTA 1000 QF in the past year.
📉 Momentum dip: First-round exits in Miami (to Osaka) and Stuttgart (to Alexandrova) have slowed her rhythm.
📍 Madrid comfort: She owns a 3–3 career record here and should benefit from the altitude, which amplifies her flat groundstrokes and big serve.
🧨 Weapons to watch: When locked in, Samsonova is among the most explosive hitters on tour—her ability to control points from the baseline is unmatched when she finds rhythm.

Caroline Dolehide
🇺🇸 Clay-court spark? Came from 1–4 down in the second set against Avanesyan to reel off five straight games—her biggest win of 2025.
📉 Patchy season: Outside Madrid, she’s reached the second round in just two tournaments all year.
📍 Madrid suits her: Made the third round here last year and posted both of her top-50 clay wins in the Spanish capital. The altitude helps enhance her serve and forehand.
⚠️ Against elite opposition: Owns a 3–16 career record vs top-20 players, with all wins coming on North American hard courts.

🔍 Match Breakdown

This matchup will likely be decided by first-strike efficiency and composure under pressure. Samsonova brings raw power and a more polished all-court game, while Dolehide thrives in altitude conditions but has struggled to consistently challenge top-tier opponents.

If Samsonova serves well and finds her groove early, she should control the pace of play. But Dolehide’s comeback win in R1 shows she’s mentally dialed in and comfortable in these conditions. If the American can shorten points and pressure Samsonova’s second serve, she could make this a much closer battle than expected.

That said, the Russian’s ability to hit through the court and her experience at higher levels of the game provide her with a distinct advantage—especially in a venue that rewards aggressive baseline play.

🔮 Prediction

Prediction: Samsonova in 2 tight sets
Expect heavy hitting, a lot of short rallies, and possibly a tiebreak. Dolehide may hang tough, but Samsonova’s pace and precision should edge her through—if she keeps the unforced errors in check.