Andreeva, 15, wins again at Madrid Open; Murray loses

MADRID: After another impressive victory at the Madrid Open, Mirra Andreeva patiently took photos with some fans who looked young enough to be her classmates in high school.

Moments earlier, the 15-year-old Russian had been raising her arms by the net to celebrate her win over a top-20 opponent.

Andreeva, a day after defeating 2021 US Open finalist Leylah Fernandez for her first tour-level win, beat 14th-ranked Beatriz Haddad Maia 7-6 (6), 6-3 to advance to the third round on Thursday.

“Yes, I’m a bit surprised but also everyone was telling me they are playing the same level as you, they are just more consistent,” Andreeva said. “Their mental level is different but the game-level is almost the same.”

In the men’s draw, two-time Madrid champion Andy Murray lost his first-round match in straight sets to qualifier Andrea Vavassori.

With her win over Fernandez, Andreeva became the third-youngest player to win a main-draw match at a WTA 1000 tournament, behind Coco Gauff and CiCi Bellis, and only the second 15-year-old to defeat a top-50 opponent at a WTA 1000 tournament.

With her victory on Thursday, Andreeva became the seventh-youngest player since 2000 to defeat a top-20 opponent before the age of 16. The Russian’s birthday is on Saturday.

She has won 15 straight matches in all levels and earlier this year became the first player to win two or more W60 titles before the age of 16.

The teenager looked calm and in control throughout the match against the 13th-seeded Haddad Maia. She saved three set points before winning the first-set tiebreaker then broke early in the second to secure another straight-set victory.

Andreeva will try to extend her surprising run at the clay-court tournament when she faces 19th-ranked