Andreeva rallies past Potapova to win Linz title

Top-seeded Mirra Andreeva won her second singles title of the season on the WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz after rallying from a set down to defeat Austria’s Anastasia Potapova in the final of the Upper Austria Ladies Linz on Sunday. The 18-year-old adds this WTA 500 title to her triumph in Adelaide in January, marking the fifth singles title of her career.

Potapova starts strong before Andreeva rallies

Potapova, who won the tournament in 2023, started strongly with an immediate break of serve and dominated the opening set 6-1. After the pair exchanged early breaks in the second set, Andreeva secured a crucial break in the fifth game and held on to take the set 6-4.

The deciding set followed a similar pattern. Andreeva broke first to lead 3-2, but Potapova broke back to level at 3-3. Andreeva responded with another break for 4-3 and, after holding serve, broke once more to seal a 1-6, 6-4, 6-3 victory in 1 hour, 54 minutes. The teenager ended the match with 32 winners to 35 unforced errors while Potapova hit 30 winners and 42 unforced errors.

Andreeva improves to 3-1 against Potapova

The win improves Andreeva’s record against Potapova to 3-1, including three consecutive victories. Potapova, the first Austrian representative to reach the Linz final since the event joined the WTA Tour in 1991, falls to 3-4 in WTA singles finals, while Andreeva improves to 5-1.

Andreeva, who also moves to 9-0 against players ranked outside the top 50 this year, has now won two singles titles on clay in her career (after WTA 250 Iasi in 2024).