Samsonova tops Kanepi for women’s tennis title in Washington

By HOWARD FENDRICH
AP Tennis Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — Liudmila Samsonova hit 10 aces and won her second career WTA title by coming back to beat sixth-seeded Kaia Kanepi 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 at the Citi Open. Samsonova is a 23-year-old Russian currently ranked 60th after needing to sit out part of the season, including Wimbledon, because of her country’s invasion of Ukraine. She used a powerful serve that reached 119 mph against Kanepi to power through the bracket at the hard-court tournament. That included a victory over reigning U.S. Open champion Emma Raducanu. Samsonova’s other championship came last year at a grass-court tournament in Berlin. Kanepi was seeking her fifth trophy and first since 2013. She left the court for a medical timeout late in the second set.