Roland-Garros: Gauff ends Andreeva’s impressive run in captivating battle of the teenagers

Coco Gauff won her first encounter with the supremely talented young Russian Mirra Andreeva 6-7 (5), 6-1, 6-1 to move into the last 16 of Roland-Garros.

The American looked to be in some trouble when she dropped the first set on a tightly-contested tiebreak. But Gauff’s greater experience ultimately shone through, as did her athleticism, as she upped the intensity to comfortably win the next two sets.

Gauff’s greater physical prowess was evident in those closing two stanzas, with Andreeva – only just 16 years of age and still a novice on tour – struggled to keep up with the American’s pace and power.

The young Russian can leave with her head held high, however, after a superb two weeks in Paris during which she came through three rounds of qualifying to become the youngest player in the main draw, before making headlines with a hugely impressive run to the third-round.

The fact that Andreeva was able to take a set off the world No 6 at her very first Grand Slam is testament enough to her precocious talent.

This meeting felt like the first of many, with both players still so young and evidently so talented.

For Gauff, her quest for a first Grand Slam continues. Last year’s runner-up will next face the winner of the match between Slovak Anna Karolina Schmiedlova and American qualifier Kayla Day.

Paris (Grand Slam), other third-round results (Stade Roland-Garros, clay, EUR 49.600.000, most recent results first):

• Olga Danilovic vs. Ons Jabeur
• Elisabetta Cocciaretto vs. Bernarda Pera
• Anna Karolina Schmiedlova vs. Kayla Day
• Bianca Andreescu vs. Lesia Tsurenko
• Iga Swiatek vs. Xinyu Wang: saturday
• Ekaterina Alexandrova vs. Beatriz Haddad Maia: saturday
• Elena Rybakina vs. Sara Sorribes Tormo
• Karolina Muchova beat Irina-Camelia Begu (27): 6-3, 6-2
• Sloane Stephens beat Yulia Putintseva: 6-3, 3-6, 6-2
• Elina Avanesyan (LL) beat Clara Tauson (Q): 3-6, 6-1, 7-5
• Elina Svitolina beat Anna Blinkova: 2-6, 6-2, 7-5
• Aryna Sabalenka (2) beat Kamilla Rakhimova: 6-2, 6-2
• Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova beat Anastasia Potapova (24): 4-6, 6-3, 6-0
• Elise Mertens (28) beat Jessica Pegula (3): 6-1, 6-3
• Daria Kasatkina (9) beat Peyton Stearns: 6-0, 6-1

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