Mirra Andreeva will take on 9th seed Barbora Krejcikova in the fourth round of the 2024 Australian Open on Sunday (Saturday night ET) in the John Cain Arena. The Russian teenager has made waves with her campaign, while the latter looks to break a Grand Slam rut.
This will be the third meeting between the pair. Their first clash in the 2023 Wimbledon second round ended prematurely after Krejcikova retired hurt with Andreeva on a 6-3, 4-0 lead. The 16-year-old won their second match 6-2, 6-2 in the first round of the 2023 China Open to lead the head-to-head 2-0.
Andreeva’s debut Australian Open 2024 women’s singles campaign began with a straight-set win over Bernarda Pera. She then stunned World No.6 Ons Jabeur in the second round, inflicting a bagel in a 6-0, 6-2 victory. She beat Diane Parry to keep her streak going and set up a fourth-round clash against Krejcikova.
Krejcikova, meanwhile, has had an easy run into the Round of 16. She defeated Mai Hontama, Tamara Korpatsch, and Storm Hunter to get here. Two of whom are ranked outside the top 100.
This is a battle between a prodigious youngster on a purple patch versus a Grand Slam champion who has barely been tested. There is no clear favorite, but one guarantee is that the match will be a thriller. With her current run of form, combined with her impeccable on-court movement and all-around game, Andreeva does appear to have an edge.
Additionally, Krejcikova has struggled in Slams recently, with early exits in the last three tournaments. She also played a doubles match yesterday and could show signs of fatigue.
Andreeva knows what it takes to defeat Krejcikova, who is yet to face a top-tier opponent. The SportsRush predicts Mirra Andreeva to win in three sets.
The match will take place on Sunday, January 21, at 3:30 p.m. local time (11:30 p.m. Saturday, January 20, ET). ESPN and Tennis Channel will stream the match in the USA. Conditions are expected to be humid, windy, and cloudy with temperatures around 18°C. At the time of writing this report, rain suspended play on some courts at Melbourne Park.
Mirra Andreeva and Barbora Krejcikova form guide
Mirra Andreeva jumped over 350 places to end 2023 as World No.46. She took home the WTA Newcomer of the Year laurel for her achievements last season. She made it to the fourth round of the 2023 Wimbledon, her best Grand Slam result yet. Having equalled it in her debut Australian Open campaign, she will hope to advance further.
The Russian teenager began her 2024 season with the Brisbane International. She defeated #4 seed Liudmila Samsonova en route to a quarter-final finish. Andreeva entered the Australian Open as World No.47 with a 3-1 record.
Krejcikova, on the other hand, had a poor Grand Slam run despite starting the previous season well. After a good run in the 2023 AO, she lifted the WTA 1000 Dubai Tennis Championships. While she kept her good touch intact on the Tour, she met with first and second-round exits in the next three Majors of the season. Her 2024 started with a first-round elimination in the Adelaide International. She came into the 2024 Australian Open as World No.11 and 0-1 for the year.
The winner of this clash will face either Amanda Anisimova or defending champion Aryna Sabalenka.
