Mirra Andreeva continues to post seemingly improbable performances, coming back from being down 5-1 in the final set against Diane Parry to win the match.
It was the second time the two have met, with the 16-year-old Andreeva also winning the first match. On Thursday, it seemed as though Parry was going to pull even in their head-to-head, having won the first set 6-1 and leading in the third 5-1.
But Andreeva saved match point at 5-2 before rattling off five games in a row. Eventually, she won the 10-point tiebreak.
Teen Queen đź‘‘
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 19, 2024
Mirra Andreeva erases a match point & 1-5 deficit to defeat Parry 1-6 6-1 7-6 [10-5] in the third round!#AusOpen • #AO2024@wwos • @espn • @eurosport • @wowowtennis pic.twitter.com/UHsjqGvuuu
“I would prefer to win in straight sets. I think everybody would,” Andreeva said afterwards. “But it’s also good to win when you’re fighting for every point. I think I will have a lot of matches like this in my career. I’m just happy with the win. I don’t care how I win exactly with the score and the time, I just want to win.
“If it takes three sets, then I’m happy to win with three sets. If it takes two sets, then of course I’m happy to win with two sets.”
Andreeva gave credit to her competitor, who she says played “really well” in the first set.
“It was really tough for me to do something,” Andreeva said afterwards. “Then I just found my way. Honestly, overall it was a crazy match for me. In the third set I didn’t really expect to come back, but I did it, so I’m very happy.”