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
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