Coco Gauff faces Liudmila Samsonova at the Cincinnati Open, with fans able to follow the matchup through live stream and television coverage.
Gauff enters as one of the tournament’s biggest names, but Samsonova presents a dangerous challenge that could make this one of the more intriguing matchups on the Cincinnati schedule.
GettyLiudmila Samsonova of Russia.
How to Watch Gauff vs. Samsonova
Tennis Channel is the exclusive U.S. television home of the Cincinnati Open, with every main-draw match available live and on demand through the Tennis Channel App. Tennis Channel 2 will also show select matches, including outer-court action. Tennis Channel holds exclusive United States rights.
Fans with live-TV streaming packages that include Tennis Channel can also watch through providers such as Fubo, YouTube TV, Sling TV and Hulu + Live TV, depending on their plan.
In the United Kingdom, Sky Sports Tennis and Sky Sports Main Event are expected to carry Cincinnati coverage. Sky Go and NOW provide the streaming options.
Gauff has won every previous meeting. Samsonova has the weapons to challenge that record.
| Location | Start time | TV | Live streaming |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grandstand, Cincinnati Open, Mason, Ohio | Sunday, Aug. 16; not before 7 p.m. ET | Tennis Channel; select coverage on Tennis Channel 2 | Tennis Channel App; Sky Go and NOW in the United Kingdom |
Gauff’s History Against Samsonova
The No. 4 seed and 2023 Cincinnati champion will meet Samsonova in a women’s singles second-round match on Grandstand. The night-session match is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET, though the actual start depends on the length of the earlier program and any weather interruption. Sunday’s night session begins at seven, or at least no earlier.
Gauff is 4-0 against Samsonova, a record built over seven years, two surfaces and 10 sets. Her latest win came in Stuttgart in April, when she recovered from a tight first set for a 7-5, 6-1 victory.
The American has won eight of the 10 sets in the rivalry, including a 6-3, 6-3 decision over Samsonova in the 2023 Washington semifinals. That hard-court result is the cleanest recent guide to what Sunday could look like.
Samsonova’s game, however, provides an obvious path to disruption. The 27-year-old Russian can flatten out groundstrokes from both wings and use a big first serve to shorten points before Gauff has an opportunity to turn defense into offense.
That part matters.
Gauff has made a career of extending points other players expect to end quickly. Her court coverage forces an opponent to take another swing, and the next ball is often less comfortable than the first. Against Samsonova, that means getting returns in play and denying the Russian clean looks inside the baseline.
Samsonova’s serve could determine whether the match stays close. Tennis Ratio credits her with 4.0 aces per match over the past 52 weeks, compared with Gauff’s 2.4, but also lists Gauff with a 25-12 record on hard courts in that span. Samsonova is 13-14. Recent hard-court results favor Gauff decisively.
Gauff does not need a spectacular night. She needs to make Samsonova play long enough for the margins to narrow.
How to Watch Coco Gauff vs Liudmila Samsonova: Live Stream, TV, Preview