Rising stars Mirra Andreeva of Russia and Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard yesterday underlined their Australian Open potential with impressive wins at the Brisbane International, while Taiwan’s Chan Hao-ching lost in the quarters of the women’s doubles.
Andreeva, 17, beat Linda Noskova 6-3, 6-0 in the women’s draw, while Mpetshi Perricard downed fourth-seeded American Frances Tiafoe 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) to reach the men’s quarter-finals.
A year after losing to the same player at the season-opening event, Andreeva displayed her improvement over last year with a 63-minute romp over the Czech Republic’s Noskova.
Photo: AFP
The teenager faces Ons Jabeur in the last eight after the Tunisian beat Elina Avanesyan of the US 6-4, 1-6, 6-4.
“Last year she almost killed me in the quarter-finals, so I was thinking it’s time to take my revenge,” Andreeva said of Noskova.
The Russian started the year ranked 16th in the world and is tipped by many to challenge for a Grand Slam.
Photo: AFP
“My No. 1 goal for the 2025 season is to crack the top 10,” said Andreeva, who is coached by former Wimbledon champion Conchita Martinez.
The towering Mpetshi Perricard, 21, who beat Australian Nick Kyrgios in an entertaining first-round match, again served superbly to defeat US Open semi-finalist Tiafoe.
After serving 36 aces in his three-set win over Kyrgios, the Frenchman sent down another 20 against the more experienced Tiafoe.
Photo: EPA-EFE
Mpetshi Perricard faces the 19-year-old Czech Jakub Mensik next.
“It was a good match, not very easy to play against Francis,” Mpetshi Perricard said. “The first set was very tight on serve, but I managed to put some pressure on his second serve and it worked.”
The other matchups in today’s quarter-finals in the men’s singles are: Nicolas Jarry against Jiri Lehecka, Jordan Thompson against Grigor Dimitrov and Novak Djokovic against Reilly Opelka.
In the women’s doubles, Chan and partner Lyudmyla Kichenok of Ukraine lost against Australian Priscilla Hon and Anna Kalinskaya of Russia 7-6 (7/4), 6-2.
The Australian Open, the opening major of the year, is to begin in Melbourne on Jan. 12.
Additional reporting by staff writer
Elena Rybakina’s Kazakhstan yesterday dumped defending champions Germany out of the United Cup with world No. 2 Alexander Zverev sidelined by an arm injury barely a week away from the Australian Open. The upset in Perth sent the Kazakhs into the semi-finals of the 18-nation tournament. In Sydney, women’s world No. 2 Iga Swiatek led Poland into the last eight by winning a rematch of her 2023 French Open final against Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic. Britain also progressed to the quarter-finals with Katie Boulter’s dominant 6-2, 6-1 victory over Australia’s Olivia Gadecki enough to guarantee they won their group. The US and
HAT-TRICK PREP: World No. 1 Sabalenka clinched her first win of the season, as she aims to become the first woman in 20 years to win three Australian Opens in succession Coco Gauff, Jasmine Paolini and Taylor Fritz yesterday all clocked impressive wins as tennis powerhouses Italy and the US surged into the quarter-finals of the mixed-team United Cup. World No. 3 Gauff swept past Croatia’s Donna Vekic 6-4, 6-2 to avenge a loss at the Paris Olympics, while Fritz took care of Borna Coric 6-3, 6-2 in searing Perth heat. That was enough to put the Americans — last year’s winners — into a last-eight clash with China today, while Elena Rybakina’s Kazakhstan today are to meet defending champions Germany, led by Alexander Zverev, in the other Perth quarter-final. In Sydney, the in-form
Taiwanese e-sports team Ban Mei Gaming (BMG) claimed second place at this year’s Arena of Valor International Championship (AIC 2024) in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, after losing to the Thai team Bacon Time (BAC) in the finals on Sunday In the final match, BMG faced BAC, who finished top in the winners’ bracket, but lost 0-4. However, BMG still walked away with US$100,000 in prize money for finishing runners-up. The AIC 2024 began with 16 teams competing in the Swiss Stage, where teams played up to five rounds. Those securing three wins advanced to the Knockout Stage, while teams
Japan’s national high-school soccer tournament is thriving after more than 100 years, attracting huge crowds, millions watching on TV and breeding future stars, despite professional clubs trying to attract young talent. The annual tournament kicked off on Saturday and is still regarded as the pinnacle of amateur soccer with young players dreaming of playing in the final in front of tens of thousands at the National Stadium in Tokyo. Matches are a massive occasion for the whole school as student cheering squads wave flags, bang drums and roar on their teams in a spectacle of noise and color. “All the
RSS