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Laura Siegemund, 37, 'back from the dead' to stage 'epic' Australian Open comeback after saving two match points - 'Are you not entertained?'

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Laura Siegemund, a 37-year-old from Germany, staged one of the great comebacks after saving two match points to oust No. 18 seed Liudmila Samsonova in the first round of the Australian Open. The clash looked to be heading to a low-key conclusion after Siegemund succumbed to an opening bagel set but she "came back from the dead" to stun the 1573 Arena and reach the second round in Melbourne.

Highlights: Siegemund stages incredible comeback to beat Samsonova

Video credit: TNT Sports

Laura Siegemund "came back from the dead" to record the greatest comeback of the Australian Open so far, saving two match points having been subjected to an opening bagel set.

The 37-year-old German stunned 1573 Arena by ousting No. 18 seed Liudmila Samsonova with a remarkable display of fight and fitness - lasting more than two and a half hours in an "epic" evening encounter with an eventual 0-6 7-5 6-4 scoreline.

Siegemund, who gained the adulation of many when she reached the quarter-finals of Wimbledon as the second-oldest player in the draw last year, could not have possibly imagined her torrid start against Samsonova.

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Completely overpowered, Siegemund succumbed to a bagel set in a little over a half hour.

It was a start befitting of her wretched preparation for the season-opening Grand Slam, having retired from her Adelaide International qualification match against former Wimbledon finalist Vera Zvonareva.

There was little hope for Siegemund - and those flying the German flag in the stands - to cling onto as the hits just kept on coming.

While finally stopping the rot and getting a service game on the board, it was not long before Samsonova continued the onslaught.

Watch: Siegemund comes 'back from the dead' with STUNNING comeback victory

Video credit: TNT Sports

The world No. 18 broke again, holding for a 3-1 lead, and pushed Siegemund to the brink in the subsequent game, playing out a deuce which the unseeded underdog managed to just about edge - recording another timely hold.

The issue for Siegemund, however, was that time was running out for her to snap back and record a break of her own in order to keep her Melbourne hopes alive.

Few could have foreseen the astonishing scenes which followed.

Another botched service game, this time broken to 15, put victory seemingly within reach for Samsonova, who was able to serve for the match.

Cue Siegemund to spoil her opponent's impending party with her first break of the match, coming out on top in a tight deuce. A blow to Samsonova but still with a healthy cushion to stave off the late Siegemund surge.

Indeed Samsonova worked herself 40-15 ahead on Siegemund's serve - two match points, the German's hopes surely over despite her late show of spirit.

But, somehow, Siegemund - who has never advanced beyond a Grand Slam quarter-final - recovered to not only bat away the two match points but remarkably then break Samsonova to love - and break her again to clinch the set 7-5 and force a decider.

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Video credit: TNT Sports

Much of the discourse around Novak Djokovic's pursuit of Australian Open glory has centred on the 24-time Grand Slam champion keeping his early matches as short as possible, to combat the physical challenges that come with competing at 38-years-old.

But there was no sign of any fitness trouble for Siegemund, who seemed to thrive as the clock ticked by, growing in stature and outrageously turning the first-round match on its head.

Despite losing her serve at the beginning of the third set, Siegemund showed yet another huge bout of character to put the decider back on serve at 3-3 and she was clinical in dispatching her opponent when the opportunity arose to break for 6-4.

Jumping up and throwing her hands in the air as Samsonova hit long, Siegemund had achieved the seemingly impossible - and deservedly lapped up the crowd's adulation following one of the most remarkable tennis comebacks in recent years.

Laura Siegemund of Germany in action against Liudmila Samsonova.

Image credit: Getty Images

"Look at what it means to her," commentator Drew Lilley said. "She came back from the dead.

"A two-and-a half-hour epic. Look up the definition of a tennis comeback in the dictionary and you will see this.

"Are you not entertained?"

Jill Craybas added: "Unbelievable reaction, throwing her arms up, I think it looked like, ‘I don’t know how I did it, crowd, but I did it’ – and they totally backed her. What an incredible turnaround."

Siegemund will meet qualifier Maddison Inglis in the second round, who will no doubt be sitting uncomfortably after Tuesday evening's viewing.

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