Samsonova’s unusual Wimbledon tactic: ignore who she’s playing next

Liudmila Samsonova has reached the first Grand Slam quarterfinal of her career at Wimbledon 2025 but insists on not knowing her next opponent—who happens to be world No. 1 Iga Swiatek.

In a post-match press conference after defeating Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 7-5, 7-5, Samsonova made it clear that she prefers not to know who she's facing until the night before the match. “It’s helping me mentally,” she said. “I overthink too early, so I avoid it.” This approach has become a regular part of her match preparation.

The 25-year-old, ranked No. 19, has finally broken through to a major quarterfinal after previously losing all four of her Grand Slam fourth-round matches. The achievement follows a significant win over Jessica Pegula in Berlin last month—her first comeback from match point down on tour, which she described as a turning point in her confidence.

Raised in Italy by Russian parents, Samsonova has faced unique challenges, including issues with citizenship and identity. After representing Italy as a junior, she began playing under the Russian flag in 2018. “Now I know who I am, which player I am,” she said. “The puzzle is finally coming together.”

Samsonova also reacted humorously to Swiatek’s love for pasta with strawberries—a Polish favorite—saying, “I’m Italian, I cannot say anything about that... it’s crazy!”

Whether her unusual strategy works against Swiatek remains to be seen, but one thing is clear—Samsonova is finally finding her place on tennis’ biggest stage.