Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva has advanced to the last 16 of the French Open following a commanding straight-sets victory over Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva. The 18-year-old, who is seeded sixth at Roland Garros, secured her win with a score of 6-3, 6-1, finishing the match in just 78 minutes.
Next, Andreeva will face Australian Daria Kasatkina, ranked 17th, in a bid for a place in the quarter-finals. Kasatkina triumphed over Spanish 10th seed Paula Badosa with a score of 6-1, 7-5 in a match that lasted one hour and 33 minutes.
Reflecting on her performance against Putintseva, Andreeva said, “I knew she’s a very tricky player and makes it a little uncomfortable for me, so I struggled in the beginning. I practice against her, so I knew what to expect. I’m happy with the way I played today.” During the match, Andreeva capitalized on five of her eight break-point opportunities while being broken once herself, finishing with 18 unforced errors compared to her opponent’s 16.
Andreeva, who reached the semi-finals at the French Open last year, aims to make history by becoming the youngest woman to win a Grand Slam title since Maria Sharapova’s 2004 Wimbledon victory. This season, she has achieved a career-high ranking of sixth and made headlines by becoming the youngest ever winner of a WTA 1000 title in Dubai earlier this year, followed by another victory at Indian Wells.
With both Aryna Sabalenka and reigning champion Iga Swiatek in the other half of the draw, Andreeva is eager to continue her impressive run at Roland Garros. Kasatkina, participating in the tournament for the tenth time, previously reached the semi-finals in 2022 and will be a formidable opponent as they both vie for a place in the quarter-finals.
Andreeva’s success at such a young age highlights her immense talent and potential, promising an exciting future in the world of tennis.