- The 17-year-old burst onto the scene last year and is enjoying a meteoric rise
- Sabalenka looked uncomfortable from the start and at times appeared close to vomiting
- Andreeva plays Jasmine Paolini after Italian number 4 Elena Rybakina
17-year-old Mirra Andreeva is in the first of what will surely be many Grand Slam semi-finals after beating the visibly ill Aryna Sabalenka at the French Open.
The Russian prodigy – who won her first match on tour at the age of 15 – won 6-7, 6-4, 6-3. She is the youngest Grand Slam semi-finalist in 27 years since Martina Hingis at the US Open and will play Jasmine Paolini in Thursday’s semi-final after Italian world number 4 Elena Rybakina.
When Andreeva executed her second match point, she responded with a modest fist pump – clearly so focused that she didn’t realize she had just won the match. When the realization dawned on her, she threw both arms in the air.
“I was really trying to concentrate,” she explained afterwards, “and when it was match point, I tried to imagine that I was saving a break point instead – I tried to play bravely.
‘My coach and I had a “plan” today, but I didn’t remember anything about it!’
Mira Andreeva has booked a place in her first Grand Slam final after beating Philippe Chatrier
World No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka looked unsettled from the start as she battled her illness on the court
During a medical time-out, the Belarusian tried to calm her stomach and held on well
It was clear from the start that all was not well with world number 2 Sabalenka. She hit four double faults in the first two games and generally seemed to lack her usual ferocious energy.
The 26-year-old Belarusian still managed to take a 3-1 lead against a nervous Andreeva, but began clutching her stomach, grimacing and occasionally looking as if she was going to throw up on the clay of Philippe Chatrier.
At one point it looked like she was going to pull away, but when she was 3-4 down, she called the doctor and was given some pills. With incredible willpower, she dragged herself to a tiebreak and won it 7-5.
Most players would have collapsed, but Sabalenka’s enormous natural strength at least gave her the chance to hit some winners – in any rally that went beyond a few strokes she was a fatal defeat.
It was a difficult situation for a player with Andreeva’s limited experience. She sometimes struggled to find the right balance between playing her natural attacking game and simply keeping the ball in against a neutered opponent.
Even far from her best, Sabalenka Andreeva’s powerful play gave Andreeva a lot to think about
The 17-year-old fought skillfully to suppress her opponent’s dominant striking moves on Wednesday
After being awarded the second set, Sabalenka struggled to keep up with Andreeva in the third
But she played the big points well enough to win the second set. The doctor gave Sabalenka some pills and a can of coke from her team, probably in an attempt to calm her stomach.
At times she had to resort to chipping the ball back instead of her usual full-blooded forehand and her serve speed was way down.
The only shot she normally seemed able to get close to was the backhand down the line and a pair of scorching winners on that side kept her in the third set.
Sabalenka served at 4-5, deuce, put away a drop shot and Andreeva had her first match point. But she didn’t get enough depth on the return and Sabalenka hammered it away.
Andreeva had two match points before stunning the two-time Australian Open champion
The teenager pounced to take the win from Sabalenka – who has been in imperious form – and was rewarded with a sweep of the title
A backhand winner from Andreeva gave her another chance and this time she threw a beautiful lob over a stranded Sabalenka.
It was miserable luck for Sabalenka, who has been extremely imperious in the Grand Slams this season; she had not dropped a set in winning the Australian Open in January and reaching the quarterfinals here.
Once she recovers from whatever was bothering her stomach here, you can bet she’ll get her revenge at Wimbledon.