Home / Sports / Evert Defends Andreeva: World No. 3 Ranking Silences Critics
Evert Defends Andreeva: World No. 3 Ranking Silences Critics
14 Oct
Summary
- Chris Evert defended Mirra Andreeva's success, highlighting her world No. 3 ranking.
- Andreeva reached the China Open final, her third WTA 1000 final this year.
- Zheng Qinwen won the China Open, becoming the first Chinese woman to do so since 2004.
Tennis icon Chris Evert has publicly defended 19-year-old Mirra Andreeva against criticism questioning her tournament draws. Evert highlighted Andreeva's projected rise to world No. 3 as a testament to her skill, dismissing arguments that her path to success was too easy. Andreeva secured a spot in the China Open final, her third WTA 1000 final appearance, demonstrating consistent high-level play. She reached this stage by defeating several opponents, including a challenging quarterfinal match.
Ultimately, Andreeva lost the final to China's Zheng Qinwen. Zheng's victory was historic, making her the first Chinese woman to claim the China Open title since the tournament's debut in 2004. Zheng's win marked her first WTA 1000 title and a significant milestone in her career. Despite the loss, Andreeva acknowledged Zheng's strong performance and expressed her own focus on personal improvement during the tournament, noting specific regrets about lost set points in the first set. Andreeva also looked forward to future tournaments, feeling encouraged by her overall performance and progression in Beijing.
