MELBOURNE: In a remarkable display of skill and determination at the Australian Open on Friday, 16-year-old tennis prodigy Mirra Andreeva extended her impressive tournament journey with a stunning comeback, securing her spot in the fourth round and matching her previous best Grand Slam performance.
The teenage giant-killer showcased her immense potential by swiftly defeating sixth seed Ons Jabeur in under an hour during the second round and then exhibited her tenacity by overcoming France’s Diane Parry in a hard-fought battle, eventually winning 6-1, 6-1, 7-6 (10/5).
Facing a daunting 5-1 deficit in the deciding set, Andreeva mounted a spectacular comeback, reeling off five consecutive games to position herself to serve for the match at 6-5. Despite Parry’s attempt to halt the surge and force a tie-break, the young Russian, fueled by momentum, asserted herself once again to achieve a remarkable victory.
Andreeva’s next challenge will be against either Czech ninth seed Barbora Krejcikova or Australian qualifier Storm Hunter. The 16-year-old, who made waves at Wimbledon by reaching the fourth round as a qualifier, demonstrated resilience after being out of sorts in the opening set. In the second set, she broke Parry twice, leveling the match and setting the stage for her thrilling comeback in the deciding set.
