Defending champion Liudmila Samsonova has stretched her winning streak in Washington to six matches by beating 2022 Australian Open finalist Danielle Collins 6-1 6-3 in the first round of the DC Open.
The eighth-seeded Samsonova saved both break points she faced, while winning four of Collins’ service games on Monday. Collins did herself no favours by double-faulting eight times.
Samsonova, the 24-year-old from Russia, is currently ranked world No.18. Her trophy on the hard courts of the US Open tune-up tournament a year ago was one of four singles titles she’s won.
In other women’s matches on day one at the first combined ATP-WTA 500 event, sixth-seeded Swiss Belinda Bencic advanced when Anastasia Potapova retired from their match in the first set, when trailing 5-6, with an injured left ankle.
Lauren Davis won the all-American clash against Sloane Stephens 7-6 (8-6) 3-6 6-1, while…