Mirra Andreeva’s Australian Open campaign came to an end on Sunday when she lost to Elina Svitolina in the round of 16.
Andreeva looked to be in fine form heading into the match after defeating Donna Vekic, Maria Sakkari and Elena-Gabriela Ruse in the previous rounds.
However, she came unstuck against Svitolina, eventually losing the contest 6-3, 6-4.
It was a disappointing loss for the eighth seed, who has been tipped to become world number one in the future.
Andreeva has been hailed as a prodigal talent and a player who could challenge the likes of Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek for Grand Slam titles.
Who has impressed you the most?
However, according to Brad Gilbert, the 18-year-old will need to fix one area of her game before thinking about challenging for the major honours.
Brad Gilbert says Mirra Andreeva has a ‘major issue’
Brad Gilbert, the former coach of Coco Gauff, has weighed in on Mirra Andreeva’s Australian Open exit in a post on his X [formerly Twitter] account.
Gilbert, who was also an instrumental figure in the career of Andre Agassi, has identified Mirra Andreeva’s forehand as a problem area moving forward.
He said: “I think after last year’s back-to-back 1000 titles, everyone thought she was going to be ascending to the number one spot potentially. The ‘fearhand’ to me, is a major issue in a lot of her losses lately.
“It’s kind of spinny, makes a lot of errors and she really can’t do anything aggressive, and I think a lot of the players now know that.
“So that, for her age, is something that has got to be fixed in the short-term, or it’s going to be tough for her to make a deep run with the players knowing that.
“It’s amazing, the top women do struggle with the ‘fearhand.'”
Andreeva also struggled to win points on serve throughout the contest against Svitolina. According to Sofascore, the Russian superstar won only 59 per cent of her first-serve points, and 54 per cent of all points on her second serve.
Mirra Andreeva deserves patience
At 18 years old, Mirra Andreeva remains one of the youngest players competing at the highest level on the WTA Tour.
Since making her breakout appearance as a 16-year-old at the 2023 Wimbledon Championships, Andreeva has achieved more than many players do in their entire careers.
Who has impressed you most so far at the Australian Open?
The Russian has won two WTA 1000 titles and rose to a career-high ranking of world number five in July last year.
Tennis fans and pundits need to be patient with Andreeva. She is a young player who needs support, rather than overwhelming criticism, if she is to develop into the player many expect her to become.
