Former world number three, Nadezhda Petrova, believes that Mirra Andreeva has a strong chance to reach the final of Roland Garros.
“Mirra Andreeva came onto the court as the favorite today. The match was interesting and entertaining. Both players tried to create difficult situations for each other. But Andreeva outperformed Kasatkina in terms of speed and overall level. Mirra`s advantage and confidence were clearly visible today,” Petrova commented.
She continued, “She has a favorable draw. She will play against a `dark horse` – Boisson, who surprised everyone by defeating Pegula. She is a dangerous opponent. Mirra needs to stay focused from the beginning to the end. She must approach the match as the dominant player, control the entire game, and prevent the Frenchwoman from finding her rhythm and engaging the spectators. Boisson gained significant momentum against Pegula thanks to the crowd`s support. Mirra needs to quiet the audience and concentrate on executing her game plan.”
Petrova further analyzed Boisson`s game: “Boisson moves well, she is athletic, and she retrieves difficult balls. She has an excellent forehand that Mirra must try to avoid, and her serve is also decent. However, the significance of reaching the quarterfinals and potentially the semifinals should have some effect. I don`t believe her nerves are particularly strong. She is not as experienced a player as Andreeva. Mirra has already achieved substantial success, and we have seen her mental fortitude. Therefore, we should hope for the best possible outcome.”
“Mirra`s potential opponents later in the draw are Madison Keys or Coco Gauff. The Americans are not particularly renowned for their performance on clay courts, which makes the half of the draw where Andreeva is situated genuinely the most advantageous for her. She possesses every opportunity to reach the final; she simply needs to capitalize on them,” concluded Petrova.
