Andreeva beats Linette on 16th birthday to continue stunning run
Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva’s incredible run at the Madrid Open continued with a straight-set victory over Poland’s Magda Linette to reach the last 16.
Andreeva, given a wildcard for the clay-court event, celebrated her 16th birthday on Saturday with a confident win over the world number 19.
The world number 194 will face second seed Aryna Sabalenka in the next round.
“I didn’t expect to be here and go this far,” Andreeva said.
“I’m not really surprised with my level, because I know the way I can play on the court.
“But of course, I didn’t expect to be here and playing Sabalenka in the last 16.”
Andreeva’s triumph over 2023 Australian Open semi-finalist Linette comes after she beat Brazil’s world number 14 Beatriz Haddad Maia in round two, just 24 hours after overcoming 2021 US Open finalist Leylah Fernandez.
Her 7-6 (8-6) 6-3 win over Haddad Maia made her the seventh-youngest player since 2000 to beat a top-20 ranked opponent.
Runner-up at the junior Australian Open in January, Andreeva’s winning streak in professional matches now stands at 16.
Russian and Belarusian players have been allowed to compete on the WTA tour, but not under their national flags because of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Andreeva’s last-16 opponent, Belarusian Sabalenka, beat Colombia’s Camila Osorio 6-4 7-5 to advance earlier on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Spain’s Paula Badosa beat American Coco Gauff on home soil with a dominant 6-3 6-0 victory in 71 minutes to reach the last 16, where she will meet Greece’s Maria Sakkari or her compatriot Rebeka Masarova.