MELBOURNE: Mirra Andreeva on Wedensday, a 16-year-old Russian, set aside her schoolwork to showcase her immense potential at the Australian Open.
Making her debut in the main draw at Melbourne Park, Andreeva demonstrated electric gameplay as she swiftly defeated the sixth-seeded Ons Jabeur in under an hour on Rod Laver Arena, securing a convincing 6-0, 6-2 victory in just 54 minutes.
Currently ranked 47th, this marked her first triumph against a top-10 player, building on her noteworthy breakthrough last year at Wimbledon, where she reached the fourth round as a qualifier.
“I was really nervous before the match, but I saw that she was nervous too. It kind of helped me, because I know I’m not the only one who is nervous before the match,” said Andreeva.
“I decided to just enjoy, because it’s Rod Laver Arena, I’m playing against the person that I like. I decided just to play, and I think I played OK.”
Making her second appearance on Melbourne’s center court, she reflected on last year’s loss in the girls’ final to fellow Russian Alina Korneeva, admitting that it had left her “super upset” and served as motivation in her match against Jabeur.
“Today when I saw that I play on Rod Laver, I said that this time I have to take my chance and I have to win on the big court for the first time, and so I did,” she said.
Andreeva debuted in the Grand Slam circuit at the French Open last year, reaching the third round after successfully navigating the qualifying rounds before showcasing her skills at Wimbledon.
In her sole appearance in another Grand Slam event, she faced a second-round defeat at the US Open against eventual champion Coco Gauff. Balancing the pursuit of her tennis dreams with her academic responsibilities, she continues to manage both aspects of her life.
