By Shrivathsa Sridhar
PARIS (Reuters) -Mirra Andreeva became the youngest player to reach back-to-back French Open quarter-finals in nearly three decades after the gifted Russian teenager overcame Australian 17th seed Daria Kasatkina 6-3 7-5 on Monday.
The powerful 18-year-old has scythed through the women’s field at Roland Garros without dropping a set and her fourth-round victory on a sunbathed Court Suzanne Lenglen helped her match the feat of Swiss Martina Hingis between 1997 and 1998.
“Honestly, I’m so happy I won. I hate playing against her, we practise a lot and even that is a torture,” Andreeva said with a smile in her on-court interview.
“It was a hell of a match. I’m super happy I stayed calm in the second set when she raised her level … I had to fight and continue playing my game.
“I knew if I believed in myself I would win a third set.”
Andreeva came up with a tight hold to thwart her frequent practice partner in the seventh game and grabbed the break in the next game when Kasatkina sent a backhand long.
Russian-born Kasatkina, who switched nationalities this year, beat Andreeva in three sets when they met in last year’s Ningbo final and the 28-year-old showcased her fighting spirit in the next set to recover a break and lead 5-3.
“My coach (Conchita Martinez) says you’ve got to practise with the people you don’t like. That’s why I practise with her because I hate her,” Andreeva joked.
“I knew this match would be tough.”
Sixth seed Andreeva broke back and defended valiantly to level at 5-5, before edging ahead again to close out the victory and book a meeting with either French wildcard Lois Boisson or American third seed Jessica Pegula.
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Paris, editing by Ed Osmond)
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