By reaching the fourth round of Roland Garros, Mirra Andreeva has broken a new barrier in her career and has followed in the footsteps of a former Russian WTA player.
Andreeva demolished opponent American Peyton Stearns in the third round for the loss of three games. It was her most comprehensive performance at the tournament that booked her a spot in the second week of the French Open for the first time.
Last year, the talented teenager played in her first Grand Slam senior tournament in Paris. She battled three rounds of qualifying to reach the main draw, where she upset Alison Riske and Diane Parry to set up a showdown against Coco Gauff.
Andreeva was second best in a battle between two teenagers, but she is punching above weight at this year’s edition, reaching the fourth round for the first time.
At 17, she is the youngest player to reach the round of 16 on every Grand Slam surface (hard, clay, grass) since former WTA World No. 8 Anna Kournikova.
Kournikova completed this feat back in 1998 Roland Garros when she was nearing her 17th birthday. Andreeva now joins her for the prestigious landmark, first doing so at the 2023 Wimbledon Championships as a qualifier (grass) and then at the 2024 Australian Open (hard).
Little did she know when it was mentioned in her post-match press conference that she was the first player to accomplish this feat in 26 years, but she was delighted to be informed.
“I didn’t know that. I’m happy that I’m the first in 26 years. OK, that’s good. I like that. Yeah, I’m happy that I managed to win a lot of matches and to be here.”
But there’s even more good news for Andreeva’s fans because she will contest her first Grand Slam quarterfinal after defeating Varvara Gracheva in straight sets on Monday.
