Mirra Andreeva Advances to French Open Semis

Mirra Andreeva, a Russian teenager, achieved the most significant victory of her career by defeating an out-of-sorts Aryna Sabalenka to advance to the semi-finals of the French Open. Second seed Sabalenka struggled throughout the match, seen grimacing and pointing to her stomach while consulting with medical staff during the first set. Despite considering retirement, she managed to complete the match but was far from her best. Andreeva, ranked 38th in the world, emerged victorious with a 6-7 (5-7) 6-4 6-4 win.

At 17, Andreeva is the youngest Grand Slam semi-finalist since Martina Hingis at the 1997 US Open. She will face Jasmine Paolini in the semi-finals after the Italian upset fourth seed Elena Rybakina earlier on Wednesday. Andreeva expressed her nerves before the match, acknowledging Sabalenka’s advantage and admitting she couldn’t stick to her planned strategy, opting instead to play instinctively.

Sabalenka, who had not lost before the semi-finals of a major since the 2022 French Open, revealed she had been struggling with a stomach bug for several days, which made the match challenging.

Mirra Andreeva Capitalizes on Sabalenka’s Struggles

After an early exchange of breaks in the first set, it became evident that Sabalenka was unwell. The Australian Open winner grew increasingly frustrated with her performance and called for medical attention as Andreeva broke to lead 4-3. Despite considering retirement, Sabalenka managed to level the set at 5-5 and won the tie-break.

However, her physical issues persisted, often needing to crouch and steady herself on her racquet, and she received a time violation at one point. Sabalenka appeared close to tears throughout the second set and walked slowly to her seat when Andreeva broke at 5-4 to force a decider.

Both players struggled to hold serve as the match extended beyond two hours, with Sabalenka continuing to receive medical attention. Andreeva seized the opportunity, executing an impressive lob on her second match point at 5-4 to secure the win.

Andreeva’s Rapid Rise Continues

Andreeva’s victory marks another milestone in her swift ascent in the sport. She is set to break into the top 30 for the first time when the latest rankings are released on Monday. Playing in her first Grand Slam quarter-final, Andreeva was occasionally frustrated by Sabalenka’s condition, particularly when the world number two managed stunning winners despite her obvious discomfort.

Nevertheless, Andreeva maintained her composure, using a powerful two-handed backhand and delicate drop shots to navigate through the second and third sets effectively. This win caps off a remarkable year for Andreeva, who reached the last 16 at Wimbledon last summer and advanced to the fourth round of the Australian Open earlier this year, where she defeated three-time Slam finalist Ons Jabeur.