Mirra Andreeva was the WTA's biggest mover in the year-end Top 100 rankings thanks to her explosive 2023 season, in which she demonstrated her vast battery of skills despite being only 16.
Before 2023, Andreeva had played once on the WTA main draw stage, and she performed admirably in a first-round defeat to compatriot Anastasia Potapova in Monastir, Tunisia. But she patiently waited for a proper introduction.
This season, Andreeva began the year ranked outside the world's Top 300 spots and virtually unknown outside the confines of the ITF level. With her fearless attitude, tactical acumen that belies her age, and charming personality - Andreeva's name was soon on everyone's lips.
Having turned 16 in late April, Andreeva had a dream start to life on the WTA 1000 stage in Madrid, where she reached the fourth round, earning high-quality wins over the tour's established duo of Beatriz Haddad Maia (maiden Top 20 win) and Australian Open semifinalist Magda Linette.
That run was only the start of something remarkable within the next few months. Andreeva broke the world's Top 100 courtesy of her majestic run to the fourth round of Wimbledon - the first time she had ever been to the second week of a Grand Slam.
At the tournament in SW19, Andreeva defeated 2021 French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova (via retirement while leading 6-4, 4-0) before her streak from qualifying was snapped by Madison Keys in three sets.
Andreeva continued to punch above her weight, and it wasn't just tennis fans who had been charmed by her charisma, but pundits and tennis players too, with Andy Murray being among them. Having knocked on the Top 50 door for months, the Russian young gun eventually broke it down.
After qualifying for the WTA 1000 in Beijing, Andreeva stunned Krejcikova for a second time in the first round and then proceeded to defeat compatriot Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, who is precisely twice her age, to reach the third round, where she came close to earning her first Top 5 win of her career against Elena Rybakina.
Despite narrowly going down in three sets, the China Open run successfully took Andreeva into the Top 50 for the first time. She climbed over 250 places during the season - the most by a WTA player in 2023.
0 Comments