3 minute read
The cameras are following Russian 16-year-old Mirra Andreeva and the Wimbledon qualifier is providing plenty of material after reaching the third round in SW19.
Russian teen sensation Mirra Andreeva has reached the third round at Wimbledon, her first grass-court tournament.
Andreeva, who reached the final of the junior girls as a 15-year-old at the Melbourne Open in January, progressed after her 10th-seeded opponent Barbora Krejcikova had to withdraw due to injury while trailing 6-3 4-0.
Now 16, she burst onto the senior scene in Madrid two months ago when she reached the last 16. As she did before reaching the third round in Paris, she came through qualifying at Wimbledon.
With Netflix's Break Point cameras watching on - Andreeva's rise has inevitably caught the fly-on-the-wall doc's attention - 2021 French Open champion Krejcikova clearly struggled with an ankle injury before calling it a day.
While Andreeva is at the start of her career, Anett Kontaveit is at the end.
The Estonian, who is retiring at the youthful age of 27, lost to Marie Bouzkova 6-1 6-2 in her final singles match.
Kontaveit, who reached world No.2 last year but is now ranked 81st, left Court 18 in tears.
"It's just a lot of emotions. There's sadness, there's happiness, there's a bit of everything," she said.
"The match didn't go the way I wanted it to, but I was so happy to be able to play in front of so many people, that so many people that love me were able to see me play for the last time, in singles."
Defending champion Elena Rybakina is through after beating Alize Cornet 6-2 7-6 (7-2). The end came quickly after the Frenchwoman injured her leg when she slipped and fell towards the end of the second set, going down in tears.
Cornet needed a medical timeout and returned with her leg heavily strapped. Though she held to force a tiebreak, Rybakina closed out easily.
She will now face wildcard Katie Boulter, Britain's last remaining player in the women's draw.
Injury also hampered French Open finalist Karolina Muchova, beaten 4-6 7-5 6-1 by Jule Niemeier after slipping early in the third set.
French fifth-seed Caroline Garcia dropped the first set before roaring back to overcome 2021 US Open finalist Leylah Fernandez of Canada while two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka brushed aside Argentina's Nadia Podoroska.
Marketa Vondrousova, another former French Open finalist (2019), upset 12th-seeded Russian Veronika Kudermetova while Croatia's Donna Vekic rallied to knock out former US Open champion Sloane Stephens in three sets.
Elina Svitolina maintained her good form following a maternity break. The Ukrainian wildcard beat 28th seed Elise Mertens 6-1 1-6 6-1.
That set up an intriguing clash with American Sofia Kenin who eased past China's Wang Xinyu 6-4 6-3.
Bianca Andreescu had been waiting since Tuesday to play her first-round match due to rain and she came through 6-3 3-6 6-2 against Anna Bondar.
American fourth-seed Jessica Pegula needed only 62 minutes to dispatch Spain's Cristina Bucsa 6-1 6-4.
- with agencies
