Teenage Andreeva breaks Aussie in dominant win
TEENAGE wunderkind Mirra Andreeva stormed into the quarter finals of the WTA 500 Brisbane International with a dominant 6-1 6-1 smashing of Australian wildcard Arina Rodionova. In a match that lasted just 65 minutes, the 16-year-old Andreeva only dropped one point off her first serve to reach the last eight.
Andreeva has long been considered a player to watch for the future, with the 2007-born young gun reaching the fourth round at Wimbledon last year, and third round at Roland Garros. She will contest her first Australian Open in just over a week, with the 58th ranked Russian possessing an impressive 75-18 career win-loss record coming into the tournament.
In the win over Rodionova, Andreeva broke five times and saved her only break point against, while winning 22 of a possible 23 points off her first serve. Though not a big server, Andreeva is a clever player who can punish opponents with her quick switches and outstanding footwork. As she builds her strength over the years, the Russian young gun will become something really special.
Andreeva now sets her sights on fellow young gun, Czech Linda Noskova after the 19-year-old ended the run of Argentinian qualifier Julia Riera in the third round. Noskova dominated early then was challenged in the second set before getting up 6-1 6-7 6-3.
In other results, two Grand Slam winners will face off in the quarter finals after third seed Jelena Ostapenko and eighth seed Victoria Azarenka both booked their place in the final eight. Ostapenko had a good win over Karolina Pliskova, while Azarenka proved too strong for Frenchwoman Clara Burel. The other winner was fifth seed Daria Kasatkina who advanced with a 6-4 6-2 triumph over ninth seeded Pole, Magda Linette.
ASB CLASSIC – AUCKLAND
Top seed and defending champion Coco Gauff does not look like slowing down across the Tasman, smashing Czech qualifier and young gun Brenda Fruhvirtova, 6-3 6-0. Gauff won 85 per cent of her first serve points and broke five times to one in an eye-catching performance to reach the quarter finals of the event.
The other two seeds in action earlier in the day were seventh seed Petra Martic and eighth seed Varvara Gracheva, both of whom advanced through to the quarter finals with straight set victories over Yue Yuan and Lulu Sun respectively. At the time of publishing, second seeded Ukrainian Elina Svitolina was leading in the second set against past US Open winner and wildcard, Emma Raducanu after the young Brit took the first set in a tiebreaker.
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