By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
Former world No. 1 Victoria Azarenka was knocked out early in the French Open after a second-round loss to world No. 38 Mirra Andreeva of Russia, with scores of 6-3, 3-6, 7-5, on May 31, 2024, in Paris, France.
Azarenka, once a French Open finalist, suffered a disappointing three-set defeat in a match where she had opportunities to turn the tide in the final set.
After dropping the first set due to a single service error that allowed Andreeva to seize momentum, Azarenka displayed her experience and skill on clay by leveling the match at 1-1.
She attacked Andreeva’s backhand and frequently rushed the net for several easy smash kills, a strategy that worked well in the second set.
However, in the third set, Andreeva intensified her game and matched Azarenka in baseline rallies.
Despite Azarenka’s success with long shot exchanges in the second set, Andreeva’s mix of chop spins disrupted her rhythm.
Midway through the third set, Azarenka had a chance to take the lead but lost another service game, giving Andreeva a crucial set point.
Andreeva capitalized on the error and sealed the win with a forehand down-the-line winner.
Andreeva’s solid serving performance included two service aces and a 67% first-serve win rate. She also scored 10 break points, a critical factor in her victory over the former world No. 1.
