Laura Samson Explained

Laura Samson
Birth Date:10 March 2008
Birth Place:Prague, Czech Republic
Careerprizemoney:$11,697
Singlestitles:3 ITF
Highestsinglesranking:No. 631 (15 July 2024)
Currentsinglesranking:No. 634 (22 July 2024)
Frenchopenjuniorresult:F (2024)
Wimbledonjuniorresult:3R (2024)
Usopenjuniorresult:SF (2023)
Highestdoublesranking:No. 1,220 (1 July 2024)
Currentdoublesranking:No. 1,223 (22 July 2024)
Frenchopendoublesjuniorresult:SF (2024)
Wimbledondoublesjuniorresult:W (2023)
Usopendoublesjuniorresult:QF (2023)
Updated:22 July 2024

Laura Samson (born Laura Samsonová; 10 March 2008) is a Czech professional tennis player.[1] She won the girls' doubles title at the 2023 Wimbledon Championships and was a runner-up in girls' singles at the 2024 French Open. She was the first player born in 2008 or later to win a WTA Tour main draw match.[2]

In 2024, she changed her surname to the gender neutral form to be distinguished from another WTA tennis player, Russian Liudmila Samsonova, with whom she shared the same abbreviated name (L. Samsonova).[3]

Junior career

A member of TK Sparta Prague, Samsonová won her first junior title as a 13-year-old at a J5 event in Prostějov in an October 2021, without dropping a set. It was her first junior-level event. She then won her second J5 event in November 2021 in Silla-Saledar in Spain, and reached the final in her third, in Montemar.[4] [5]

In July 2023, she won the Wimbledon girls' doubles title with compatriot Alena Kovačková. In the final, they faced Hannah Klugman and Isabelle Lacy of Great Britain, winning in straight sets. They were the first Czech pairing to win the title since Barbora Krejčíková and Kateřina Siniaková in 2013.[6]

In June 2024, she reached the final of the French Open girls' singles tournament but lost to compatriot Tereza Valentová.[7] Defending the Wimbledon girls' doubles title alongside Kovačková in 2024, they lost in the quarterfinals to Mika Stojsavljevic and Mingge Xu.[8]

Professional career

2024: First WTA Tour wins

Given a wildcard entry into the 2024 Prague Open, Samson became the first player born in 2008 or later to win a WTA Tour main-draw match when she defeated qualifier Tara Würth in straight sets in the first round.[9] [10] In the second round she upset second seed Kateřina Siniaková in three sets to make it through to the quarterfinals,[11] [12] where she defeated Oksana Selekhmeteva.[13] [14] Her run came to an end in the semifinals when she retired injured while trailing in the third set against Magdalena Fręch.[15]

ITF Circuit finals

Singles: 4 (3 titles, 1 runner-up)

Legend
W25 tournaments
W15 tournaments (3–1)
Finals by surface
Hard (1–1)
Clay (2–0)
ResultW–LDateTournamentTierSurfaceOpponentScore
Win1–0Feb 2024ITF Monastir, TunisiaW15Hard Selina Dal6–1, 6–3
Loss1–1Feb 2024ITF Sharm El Sheikh, EgyptW15Hard Sandra Samir0–6, 4–6
Win2–1May 2024ITF Kranjska Gora, SloveniaW15Clay Oana Gavrilă6–1, 6–4
Win3–1May 2024ITF Bol, CroatiaW15Clay Sara Svetac6–1, 6–2

Junior Grand Slam finals

Doubles: 1 (title)

Notes and References

  1. Web site: L.Samsonová. Eurosport. 15 July 2023.
  2. Web site: Sixteen-year-old Samson becomes first 2008-born player to win WTA match. WTA. 22 July 2024.
  3. News: Vávra . Aleš . Ze Samsonové je Samson. Nová česká hvězda si změnila jméno kvůli Rusce . . Economia, a.s. . 3 June 2024. cs.
  4. Web site: LAURA SAMSONOVÁ VYHRÁLA PRVNÍ JUNIORSKÝ TURNAJ – PROSTĚJOV J5. 8 October 2021. 15 July 2023. tkspartapraha.cz.
  5. Web site: Úžasná forma talentované Samsonové. Třináctiletá Češka po dvou titulech přidala další finále. tenisovysvet.cz. 15 July 2023. 13 November 2021.
  6. Web site: Juniors Kovačková, Samsonová and Filip won the doubles titles at Wimbledon. 16 July 2023. Ceskenoviny.cz. 16 July 2023.
  7. Web site: Oddo . Chris . Valentova triumphs in first all-Czech junior Grand Slam final . Roland-Garros . 8 June 2024 . 8 June 2024.
  8. Web site: The four Brits who can still win Wimbledon. inews. 13 July 2024. 12 July 2024. Will. Jennings.
  9. Web site: Macpherson. Alex. Prague milestones: Breakthrough wins for Samson, Shibahara and Von Deichmann. Women's Tennis Association. 22 July 2024. 22 July 2024.
  10. Web site: Prague Open: Laura Samson moves into second round. Tennis Majors. 22 July 2024. 22 July 2024.
  11. Web site: Prague Open: Wildcard Samson stuns Siniakova to make quarter-finals. Tennis Majors. 23 July 2024. 23 July 2024.
  12. Web site: Sixteen-year-old Samson stuns Siniakova to make Prague quarters. Women's Tennis Association. 23 July 2024. 23 July 2024.
  13. Web site: Samson edges Selekhmeteva in thriller to reach Prague semis on WTA debut. Women's Tennis Association. 24 July 2024 . 24 July 2024.
  14. Web site: Prague Open: Laura Samson makes semi-finals. Tennis Majors. 24 July 2024. 24 July 2024.
  15. Web site: Prague Open: Frech makes final after Samson withdrawal. Tennis Majors. 25 July 2024. 25 July 2024.