Andreeva outplays her practice partner to reach Roland Garros quarterfinals
After last fall’s final at the WTA 500 in Ningbo, China, champion Daria Kasatkina comforted the sobbing Mirra Andreeva. It was a winding, grinding three-set match, and the 17-year-old took the loss hard.
A friendship has developed and, despite an age difference of a decade, the two try to practice together before every tournament. They know each other’s game intimately.
They met for a second time on Monday in the fourth round at Roland Garros, and Andreeva demonstrated how far she’s come in seven short months. And why, even at only 18, she’s become a realistic threat to win any tournament she plays.
After Andreeva emerged as the 6-3, 7-5 winner on Court Suzanne Lenglen, there were no tears, just a warm embrace.
“Maybe we know each other too good,” Kasatkina said later, laughing. “Maybe we have to take a break in practicing. No, I’m kidding. To lose to a friend is not that bad. For me, it’s normal. I’m happy to have a friend and lose to the friend than have an enemy.
“When you play someone like a top player like Mirra, everything comes into the details. There’s nothing particular that I can tell you. But those important points, we were battling hard.”
Andreeva served well, saving three of five break points, and was just a little better in almost every aspect.
“I knew today we would have a lot of long points,” Andreeva told reporters. “I felt like she reads where I’m going to play. She knew when I’m going to hit a dropshot, which side, and I felt like I was running from corner to corner a lot.
“Of course, it’s not a nice feeling, but this match was very intense. I’m happy that I managed to keep playing the game and win the match in the end.”
Andreeva is the youngest woman to reach back-to-back quarterfinals at Roland Garros since Martina Hingis (1997-1998).
On Wednesday she’ll face Lois Boisson, the surprising French wild card who stunned No. 3 seed Jessica Pegula in three sets. A win there would match last year’s semifinal run, still Andreeva’s best Grand Slam performance to date.
A year ago, Andreeva was No. 38 in the PIF WTA Tour Rankings. Today, after winning back-to-back WTA 1000 titles earlier this year in Dubai and Indian Wells, she’s a No. 6.
“Honestly, I feel like she’s taller and taller every single week,” Kasatkina said. “I see a lot with the serve that she’s improving because of practicing a lot. Everyone sees that she’s moving on the court -- the movement is very good.
“I feel mentally she became stronger as well. This is something I see every time we are hitting the practice court.”
And since Andreeva’s younger than all of her Top 10 rivals, she’s likely to get even better.
“It gives me a lot of confidence to know that I’m able to get to those [long] points and put a lot of balls back on the court,” Andreeva said. “And I feel like even after running for so long, I’m able to generate more power if I need to.”
