(Video) Daria Kasatkina comforts an emotional Mirra Andreeva after the teenager’s heartbreaking loss in the Ningbo Open final
Daria Kasatkina and Mirra Andreeva shared one of the most emotional moments of the 2024 WTA tennis season.
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Daria Kasatkina and Mirra Andreeva (via WTA)
Daria Kasatkina displayed great sportsmanship on Sunday after winning the WTA 500 Ningbo Open final. She defeated her fellow Russian, Mirra Andreeva, to claim the title.
Andreeva was upset after losing, especially because she struggled in the final moments of the match. During the post-match ceremony, she found it hard to control her emotions, leading to a heartfelt moment between the two players.
Kasatkina, who shares a close friendship with Andreeva, noticed her distress. While sitting courtside, she saw the teenager crying on stage and quickly went to comfort her. They hugged as the 27-year-old offered kind words to her friend.
The embrace and encouragement from Kasatkina helped calm Andreeva. She was able to finish her speech, apologizing for becoming emotional during the ceremony.
Daria Kasatkina edges Mirra Andreeva in a thriller at Ningbo Open
No.5 seed Daria Kasatkina fought through a tough match to win the WTA 500 Ningbo Open final on Sunday (October 20). She came back from a deficit in the third set to secure her second title of the year. In a tight battle between two Top 20 players, the World No.11 defeated 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva 6-0, 4-6, 6-4 in their first-ever meeting. The win gave Kasatkina her eighth career WTA singles title and her sixth on hard court.
Kasatkina has had a strong run in WTA 500 events this year, reaching six finals. Before Ningbo, she had won only one of those, at Eastbourne, while losing four. But she returned to the winner’s circle with this victory. Kasatkina started the final strongly, taking the first set 6-0 and grabbing an early break in the second set at 1-0.
However, Andreeva fought back in the second set, winning four games in a row to take a 4-1 lead. Kasatkina leveled the score at 4-4 but struggled with her winners in the second set, allowing Andreeva to win it and force a decider.
In the final set, the teenager kept up her momentum, racing to a 3-0 lead. But Kasatkina found her rhythm again, winning five straight games to take a 5-3 lead. A couple of late errors from Andreeva gave Kasatkina the win. The 27-year-old was solid on break points, converting seven of her eight chances to secure the title.
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Fahad Hamid
(624 Articles Published)