MELBOURNE, Australia — When Mirra Andreeva steps on to Rod Laver Arena Sunday morning in Melbourne, she will be bidding to become the first player to beat world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in Australia in 30 attempts. Andreeva, 17, already has the honor of being the last player to beat Sabalenka at a Grand Slam tournament, knocking her out of the 2024 French Open at the quarterfinal stage.
While this is a fourth-round contest, Andreeva will also be bidding to retain a singular title: the last teenager in the women’s draw at the Australian Open. Ranked world No. 15, she is already sure of retaining another one: her status as the only teenager inside the WTA Tour top 100.
“I never knew this, I think it’s pretty cool,” Andreeva said, smiling during an interview at Melbourne Park.
“Wait, are you sure I’m the only one in the top 100?” she asked.
Though the numbers sometimes do in tennis, the rankings do not lie. The next highest-ranked teenager after Andreeva is Maya Joint, the 18-year-old Australian world No. 105 who lost 6-3, 6-0 to No. 7 seed Jessica Pegula in the first round Monday. America’s Iva Jovic, 17, who is arguably the most hotly tipped teenager on the tour after Andreeva, was thumped 6-0, 6-3 by No. 6 seed Elena Rybakina in the second round.
Both players looked…
