The first matches of the second round of the women’s 500 meters in Ningbo have ended. Among the Russians, Daria Kasatkina and Mirra Andreeva competed on this day for access to the quarterfinals.
Kasatkina (11), seeded fifth, made it through the first round without a fight. Her current opponent, Katerzyna Siniakova (41), defeated Magda Linette early in the tournament.
Daria and Katerzhina met for the sixth time. The last women’s match took place in Hamburg in 2022. Then the first and so far only victory in this confrontation was won by the Czech tennis player (6:2, 2:6, 6:4).
The girls began the match in Ningbo cautiously, with an exchange on the baseline. Kasatkina’s game did not go well immediately: the balls went out of bounds and the first serve was missed. Sinyakova’s tennis was also imperfect, but the Czech had more concentration than the Russian.
Kasatkina seemed to lack physical strength in the first set. He had difficulty moving around the court and making simple shots. With the score 0:4 at the reception, Daria threw her racket, then lost another game and, taking her only serve, lost the set (1:6).
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For the opening match, Kasatkina scored 1/12 in actively won moves and unforced errors, Sinyakova – 10/11. In the middle of the second set, strength and precise play went to the Russian side. Daria began to step forward more boldly, serve more regularly and get on the court more. In the end, the game remained with her: 6:3.
Sinyakova began the decisive set with a break and took a 2-0 lead. It is true that the Czech could not maintain her advantage and lost six games in a row, and in one of the transitions she cried.
Today there was a lot of commotion in the tennis players’ game, but it was Kasatkina who was able to concentrate and finish the match with confidence. With the “hidden shuttlecock”, Daria defeated Katerzina 1:6, 6:3, 6:2. In the quarterfinals, the Russian will fight Yulia Putintseva.
Then Mirra (19) entered the field. After a quick victory over Varvara Lepchenko in the first round, Andreeva had to fight the lucky loser Tamara Korpach (129). The tennis players faced each other twice and both matches were won by the Russian.
The match in Ningbo began with much more success and tranquility for the Russian than for her opponent. Korpach immediately began to get nervous and talk to the box, did not approach the ball well with her feet and often interrupted slow exchanges on the backline. Andreeva was measured and accurate in her shots, which helped her take the first set with the shuttlecock.
Mirra Andreeva
Photo: Shi Tang/Getty Images
At the beginning of the second game, Mirra had a slump, several unforced errors occurred, and Korpach took advantage of this, taking the first game with her own serve and then with the Russian’s. Tamara successfully placed the balls in the corners, chased Andreeva and waited for her inaccuracies. Mirra immediately made a counterattack, but continued to make mistakes and again allowed the German to take the lead on the scoreboard.
In the second set, Korpach managed to impose her game and maintain emotional balance, but Andreeva quickly adapted to the German’s rhythm and won four games in a row midway through the match.
With the score 5:4, Mirra came out to serve for the match. Tamara made a couple of beautiful plays to take advantage, but she couldn’t even reach break point. Andreeva won 6:0, 6:4. In the quarterfinals she will face the winner of the match between Yesin Ma and Barbora Krejcikova.
“The Five Hundred” in Ningbo will be held until Sunday, October 20. Follow all the events of China and other tournaments in the “Championship”.
