Andreeva wins nine of last 10 games to reach Roland Garros fourth round
Mirra Andreeva is competing in just her ninth Grand Slam event this week at Roland Garros, but the 18-year-old has now reached the fourth round or better in five of them. No. 6 seed Andreeva won a battle of tactics and touch over No. 32 seed Yulia Putintseva 6-3, 6-1 to advance on Saturday.
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Andreeva is the youngest player to notch five Grand Slam second-week showings since a 17-year-old Nicole Vaidisova achieved the feat at the 2007 Australian Open. Her 10th Roland Garros main-draw victory makes her the youngest player to reach that mark since a 16-year-old Martina Hingis in 1997.
Andreeva wins drop shot duel: A first-time encounter between last year's semifinalist and two-time quarterfinalist Putintseva, the matchup pitted two of the tour's finest exponents of courtcraft against each other. The pair combined for 27 drop shot attempts -- 10 by Andreeva and 17 by Putintseva -- and 20 rallies of nine strokes or more.
A closely-contested first half of the opening set saw both players probe each other's games fully, with Andreeva winning the best point of the match with a running backhand pass down the line. It was the teenager who worked out her opponent first -- from 3-3, she reeled off nine of the last 10 games of the match. As the match went on, Putintseva's drop shot became less reliable as Andreeva tracked down all but the best from the Kazakhstani, while Andreeva grew increasingly comfortable with teeing off on Putintseva's serve.
"I knew that Yulia, she's a very tricky player," Andreeva said in her on-court interview. "She plays very interesting, and it's very uncomfortable for me. She likes to cut the rhythm a lot and I struggled with it, especially in the beginning.
"But I've practised with her once. I kind of knew what to expect, but of course, practise is completely different to the match. I just knew I had to play my 100%, fight for every ball and try to get those drop shots!"
Rematch of Ningbo final awaits: Andreeva will next face No. 17 seed Daria Kasatkina in a rematch of last year's Ningbo final, a three-set thriller that went Kasatkina's way 6-0, 4-6, 6-4. Kasatkina held off a late charge from No. 10 seed Paula Badosa to advance 6-1, 7-5, notching her first Top 10 win in 11 months -- since defeating Jasmine Paolini in last year's Eastbourne semifinals.
Kasatkina missed three chances to break in the first game of the match, but shook that off to dominate the first half of the match. Covering the court beautifully and striking a perfect balance between grinding rallies that lured Badosa into error, and stepping up with her own aggressive shots, the 2022 semifinalist reeled off eight games in a row to lead 2-0 in the second set.
But Badosa, who had come from a set down to win both of her first two rounds this week, showcased her fighting spirit to halt the run against her in a marathon third game. Kasatkina missed three points to hold for a 3-0 lead, eventually sending a forehand long on Badosa's seventh break point. With the Spaniard more intent on coming forwards to finish points, a match that had been a one-sided rout turned into a dogfight.
Kasatkina's ability to protect her serve proved crucial. Aside from that extended tussle, she did not face break point in any other service game. As a result, she was able to keep her nose in front even after Badosa had got a foothold in the contest -- and struck at the perfect moment, breaking Badosa to love for the match with a clean return winner.
Kasatkina advances to the second week of a major for the eighth time, and for the fourth time at Roland Garros.
