This year, Anastasia Potapova may face Mira Andreeva in the finals of Madrid Open.
Potapova wasn’t planning on going that far. She lost to Sinja Kraus during qualifying and was not expected to reach the main draw, let alone advance in the tournament.
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Since then, she has defeated some big names including Elena Rybakina, Karolina Pliskova and Jelena Ostapenko, and became the first lucky loser to make a WTA 1000 semi-final.
Potapova is now just one win away from making it to the finals of the Madrid Open. If she is successful, she may have to face Andreeva, who has spoken highly of her throughout the tournament.
Photo by Shi Tang/Getty Images
Anastasia Potapova revealed about her friendship with Mira Andreeva
Potapova has been representing Austria since December last year, but her Russian roots still connect her to Andreeva.
Potapova had a lot of nice things to say about the recently turned 19 and even suggested she could be the greatest of all time one day.
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“Well, I know him very well. We.” [are] Really good friends. We talk a lot,” Potapova said about Andreeva in the post-match press conference. Also her parents, very sweet people. She’s very talented. She’s very young.”
“We just played the final a week ago, what can I say? She’s already a little champion, and I just want to wish her all the best. I’m supporting her all the time with all my heart.
“I can only say good things. If you expect me to say anything bad, it will never happen, because I really think she could be the greatest of all time.
He has it all and I would be very happy for him. And if we can play the final it will be beautiful.”
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Mira Andreeva’s record against Anastasia Potapova
If both players reach the final of the Madrid Open, it will be their fifth meeting overall. Andreeva most recently defeated Potapova in the Linz Open final two weeks ago, increasing her lead to 3–1.
The teenager has now won over Potapova on every surface, with her only defeat coming at the 2022 Jasmine Open in Monastir, Tunisia, when she was just 15 years old.
Potapova will still have to get past Marta Kostyuk if she is to book her place in the Madrid Open final. Their head-to-head is tied 2-2, but Kostyuk has won the last two meetings between them, including one at this tournament last year.
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Andreeva also faces a difficult task. In the semi-finals she faces Hayley Baptiste – a player who has already defeated Aryna Sabalenka in this tournament.
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