Barbora Krejcikova as she often has been previously has acted as a spoiler in ending the run of 16-year-old prodigy, Mirra Andreeva at the 2024 Australian Open in a 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 win for the former Roland Garros champion to book a Quarter-Final clash with Aryna Sabalenka.
Krejcikova came from a set down to defeat Andreeva in her first singles Grand Slam Quarter-Final in two years and her second overall at the Australian Open. In particular in the last two sets, Krejcikova was too good and she now returns to the top 10 in the live rankings and advances to a fourth major Quarter-Final.
In particular, the weight of her ball striking and placement in the last two sets was a sight to behold as she knocked Andreeva out of her stride and off the court in a superb masterclass as she will now take on Sabalenka in the same half as Coco Gauff who will face Marta Kostyuk. Amid all of the drama at the top of the draw, it is the defending champion, the last Grand Slam champion, a former Roland Garros winner and a former Junior Champion so there will likely be no shocks in who comes through to the final.
Many would have been dreaming of the Andreeva fairytale continuing after she took the opening set 6-4 in a set full of breaks as neither player could hold their serve for a sustained period but Andreeva could at 5-4 and then swept the set. But Krejcikova went 2-0 and 4-2 up in the second set to head towards sending it into a decider and started to take the game to Andreeva.
Andreeva lost her serve immediately at the start of the decider and just about clawed her way back into it with Krejcikova firmly in the ascendancy. Andreeva seemed to be struggling containing her frustration as the Czech ace got stronger. She continued to smother her opponent and not let her get into any rhythm as she continued to extend her lead at 3-2. That built as Krejcikova took her serve again at 5-2 and was set to serve out the match which she did as Andreeva’s run came to an end albeit after an incredible display from a resurgent former Grand Slam champion.