The emergence of Mirra Andreeva in the tennis world began last year at the Madrid Open, where she was defeated by Aryna Sabalenka. Fast forward to this year, the same outcome occurred.
Last year, a 16-year-old Andreeva was bested by Sabalenka in the fourth round of the Madrid Open, showcasing her talent on a big stage for the first time.
One year later, 17-year-old Andreeva faced Sabalenka again, this time in the quarter-finals, displaying an even better performance. Meanwhile, world no. 2 Sabalenka had some interesting matches leading up to their encounter in Madrid.
Some of those matches were hard-fought as Sabalenka struggled to find her best form. However, matches like the one against Andreeva were impressive displays of skill. Sabalenka dominated the first set with her power, overpowering the young player.
Andreeva’s lack of power in her shots made it challenging for her against the stronger players like Sabalenka. The second set was more competitive but still favored Sabalenka.
Andreeva improved her serving and performance slightly in the second set, preventing easy breaks. However, she couldn’t apply enough pressure on Sabalenka, who dominated with her strong serves.
Sabalenka secured a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Andreeva, advancing to another semi-final in Madrid. She is now one match away from another final in the Spanish capital.
