Andreeva powers into French Open semifinals and sets up showdown with Ukrainian

PARIS -- Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva thumped veteran Sorana Cirstea 6-0, 6-3 at the French Open on Tuesday and set up a semifinal against an Ukrainian rival.

Andreeva will take on the winner of the all-Ukrainian contest between Elina Svitolina and Marta Kostyuk, who is undefeated on clay this season.

When Kostyuk beat Andreeva in the Madrid final a month ago, she didn’t shake her hand at the net. That’s been the protocol for Ukrainian players with opponents from Russia and its ally Belarus since the war started.

“Well, for me it doesn’t matter who I play,” Andreeva said when asked about the challenges of playing a Ukrainian player in the context of the four-year ongoing war between the neighboring countries.

“I really try to play against the ball that is coming at me," she added. "Usually it doesn’t matter to me who I’m playing against, so I’m trying to really focus on the game and on the game plan that I have to use on the court.”

After a week of hot weather, rain arrived in Paris and play started under the closed roof of Court Philippe-Chatrier. Competing in the quarterfinals for the first time in 17 years, Cirstea struggled to find her rhythm against her 19-year-old rival.

The 36-year-old veteran from Romania, playing the final season of her career, immediately dropped her serve. She was broken again in her next service game as the eighth-seeded Andreeva punished a weak delivery with a forehand return winner to open a 3-0 lead.

The Russian was in total control, securing another break of serve before comfortably holding to wrap up the opening set.

Cirstea, seeded 18th, finally got on the board by holding for 1-0 in the second set when Andreeva’s backhand sailed long. She then began to move Andreeva around more effectively with greater variety in her shot-making, while cutting down on unforced errors.

But Andreeva’s deep, accurate groundstrokes and charges to the net took a toll on Cirstea, who dropped her serve again in the fifth game. She managed to break back in the next game, yet the improvement was short-lived, as Andreeva broke again twice to close out the match.

“I felt like it was one of my best matches so far this tournament,” said Andreeva, two years after reaching her first Grand Slam semifinal. “Super happy to be back in semis.”

In men's play, up-and-coming Rafael Jodar of Spain faces a tall order against second-seeded Alexander Zverev. Jakub Mensik of the Czech Republic takes on Joao Fonseca of Brazil in the night session.

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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis