Mirra Andreeva continued her remarkable run at Roland Garros on Monday, defeating 17th seed Daria Kasatkina 6-3, 7-5 to become the youngest player in nearly 30 years to reach back-to-back French Open quarterfinals.
The 18-year-old Russian, who has yet to drop a set in the tournament, matched a feat last achieved by Martina Hingis in 1997-1998. Her latest victory on a sunlit Court Suzanne Lenglen confirmed her growing reputation as one of the most promising young stars in women’s tennis.
“Honestly, I’m so happy I won,” Andreeva said with a smile. “I hate playing against her. We practise a lot, and even that feels like torture!”
Andreeva secured a key hold at 3-3 in the opening set and then broke Kasatkina in the following game, capitalizing on an error to take control. Though Kasatkina, now representing Australia after switching nationalities, mounted a second-set comeback to lead 5-3, Andreeva held her nerve.
“My coach says you should practise with players you don’t like — that’s why I practise with her!” Andreeva joked.
She broke back to level at 5-5, then surged ahead to close out the match in straight sets, showcasing her composure and defensive grit.
The sixth seed will next face either French wildcard Lois Boisson or American third seed Jessica Pegula in the quarterfinals.
