Roland Garros preview: Andreeva, 17, looks for first major quarterfinal
Iga Swiatek
The Round of 16 for the bottom half of the draw will get underway Monday in Paris, led by World No.2 Sabalenka and No.4 Rybakina, 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva
The top half of the draw was pure chalk on Sunday, with the higher-ranked seeds racing through their matches without the loss of a set. Here's how Monday's bottom-half matchups stack up:
[22] Emma Navarro vs. [2] Aryna Sabalenka
Head-to-head: Navarro leads 1-0
How big of a threat for the title is Sabalenka in Paris? A bigger one that people might realize. No one has been more consistent than Sabalenka at the majors over the past two seasons. She has not lost before the semifinals since the 2022 French Open.
Yes, Swiatek is the heavy favorite and she's more than earned that tag, but her dominance on the surface shouldn't overshadow Sabalenka's improvements. Sabalenka was a match point away from making her first French Open final last year. She beat Swiatek last year to win her second Madrid title. This year, she's been the one standing across the net from the World No.1 in the two biggest clay finals so far.
But first, Sabalenka will look to avenge her loss to Navarro at Indian Wells in March. In their first career meeting, Navarro notched the biggest win of her career, beating the No.2-ranked player 6-3, 3-6, 6-2. The American advanced to her first Grand Slam Round of 16 by edging Strasbourg champion Madison Keys
The winner will play either Mirra Andreeva
[15] Elina Svitolina vs. [4] Elena Rybakina
Head-to-head: Svitolina leads 2-1
Is another Cinderella run in the cards for Svitolina? The Ukrainian star was the story of the tournament last year, where she made her first major quarterfinal since giving birth to her daughter, Skai. She came into this year's tournament bruised and battered from injuries and unsure of her level.
Outstanding effort 👐@ElinaSvitolina plays some fabulous tennis to defeat Bogdan and seal her place in the Round of 16 in Paris!#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/2GWKXyYjSE
— wta (@WTA) June 1, 2024
But Svitolina has won two of her three meetings against Rybakina. She also held match points against No.2 Sabalenka three weeks ago in Rome, but was edged out in a third-set tiebreak.
Rybakina had a business-like first week in Paris, where she is looking to improve on her best result, which came in the quarterfinals in 2021. After skipping Rome because of an illness, Rybakina has looked as dangerous as ever, especially in the roofed conditions.
The winner will play either Jasmine Paolini
3 - Mirra Andreeva
— OptaAce (@OptaAce) June 1, 2024View Profile is the youngest player to make the Round of 16 in Grand Slam events on each surface (Wimbledon 2023, AO 2024 and RG 2024) since Anna Kournikova in 1998. Princess.#rolandgarros | @rolandgarros @WTA @WTA_insider pic.twitter.com/nmeJo8KieL
Varvara Gracheva vs. Mirra Andreeva
Head-to-head: First meeting
Don't take for granted what Andreeva has made look so routine and easy. The 17-year-old has been virtually automatic in the first week at the Slams. After posting wins over Victoria Azarenka
But Andreeva will be taking on both Gracheva and the French crowd on Monday. Gracheva, 23, is playing her first Roland Garros as a French national, having switched her citizenship from Russia last year. She has been playing inspired tennis at Roland Garros and is now the last Frenchwoman standing in singles.
Elina Avanesyan vs. [12] Jasmine Paolini
Head-to-head: First meeting
Over the past three months, Jasmine Paolini
Paolini now prepares to face a player who may lie low during tour events but consistently makes an impact at the Grand Slams. No.70 Avanesyan, 21, is playing her fifth Grand Slam main draw and already into her second Round of 16.
Last year in Paris, Avanesyan knocked out Belinda Bencic
All that is to say, Avanesyan has found her best tennis against the best players in the world. She's more than capable of pulling off another upset here to make her first major quarterfinal.
