Harriet Dart and Liudmila Samsonova meet in the last 32 of the London WTA on 7 June, contesting a best-of-three tie on the grass courts. Bookmakers heavily favour Samsonova. Yet Dart holds a previous victory over Samsonova and arrives with stronger recent results.
The pair have met just once, with Dart claiming a hard-court victory in Dubai in February 2022. The match was finely balanced. It ended level on 15 games apiece before Dart secured the deciding set and the only tiebreak.
Dart H.
Samsonova L.
Dart comes into this clash having won five of her last ten matches. She has shown solid efficiency on serve and a strong 49% break-point conversion rate. Samsonova has struggled more visibly, managing only three victories in that same span while winning just 30% of her opening sets.
Grass-court sample sizes remain small for both players. Dart sits at 0-1 on the surface this season, while Samsonova has yet to play a match on grass in 2026. Physical freshness tells a clear story, however. Samsonova has spent nearly three and a half hours less on court across her last three matches.
The market reflects the significant gap in world rankings. Bookmakers price Samsonova at 1.33 against Dart at 3.40. First-set odds follow a similar pattern, with the favourite at 1.40 to take the opening frame.
Dart H.
Samsonova L.
Samsonova's superior ranking and fresher legs suggest she should control the tempo. Dart's recent form and past victory prove she can trouble her opponent. The match may well hinge on early pressure, with both players showing identical 49% break-point conversion rates over their last ten outings.
Prediction
Liudmila Samsonova
Harriet Dart
The market and ranking gap point clearly towards Samsonova, who also holds a notable advantage in court time. While Dart's recent form and past victory keep this contest alive, the overall indicators tilt towards the higher-ranked player on the grass.
Odds
