Mirra Andreeva, the 17-year-old rising star from Russia, pulled off the biggest win of her career on Wednesday, toppling Aryna Sabalenka, the world No. 2, to make the French Open semifinal.
Andreeva came back from a set down against an ailing Sabalenka in a match that was hard to watch at times, with Sabalenka repeatedly doubling over and looking as though she might lose her lunch on Court Philippe-Chatrier.
Sabalenka mustered enough power to see the match through to its end, but her energy levels and effort rose and fell from game to game, sometimes from point to point. She received multiple visits with trainers during the two-and-a-half hour match.
Andreeva, for her part, kept her unpredictable emotions in check for most of the afternoon, nearly cracking early in the third set after missing an opportunity but fighting back from a service break down before surging ahead in the final two games. She finished the match off with a masterful backhand and magical topspin lob.
“I tried to play brave and I managed too win,” she said.
“I even forgot what was the score…When it was the second match point for me, I tried to imagine I was saving a break point. I tried to play brave. And I managed to win.”
Andreeva will now play Jasmine Paolini of Italy, who upset Elina Rybakina in the first quarterfinal of the afternoon.
GO DEEPER
French Open quarterfinal recap: A new men’s world No. 1 and some sunshine in Paris
(Mustafa Yalcin/Anadolu via Getty Images)
