09/07/26 03:16:00
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09/07 15:14 CDT Mirra Andreeva helps injured opponent Anastasia Potapova before
finishing her US Open victory
Mirra Andreeva helps injured opponent Anastasia Potapova before finishing her
US Open victory
By BRIAN MAHONEY
AP Sports Writer
NEW YORK (AP) --- Mirra Andreeva remembers looking up to Anastasia Potapova
well before they became rivals on the court.
So when Potapova fell and was injured late in their fourth-round match Monday
at the U.S. Open, Andreeva put aside the tennis and went to assist.
The French Open champion helped Potapova up so she could get treatment, then
finished off a 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 victory that sent her to the quarterfinals in
Flushing Meadows for the first time.
"It's not the perfect end to the match," Andreeva said.
Andreeva led 5-3 in the final set when Potapova lunged to hit a running
forehand and went down holding her left knee. As Potapova sat on the court in
pain, the 19-year-old Russian came from the other side of the net and rested
her hand on the 25-year-old's shoulder.
She helped the No. 24 seed up and Potapova was able to limp to her bench, where
Andreeva asked if someone could bring her ice. Potapova was treated and
eventually able to continue with her knee bandaged, though with limited
movement she didn't win another point and didn't even attempt to get Andreeva's
final shot.
Potapova appeared to be tearing up as Andreeva came around the net for a long
embrace after the final point.
Potapova now represents Austria, but she was born in Russia and still played
under that flag when she won the junior Wimbledon championship in 2016.
"For me, Nastya, she was always like a prodigy," Andreeva said. "She came on
tour early. She also had a lot of wins. I also remember we were all watching
and cheering for her when she won juniors Wimbledon title. I remember watching
that match. For me, she was always, like, a little star that I was kind of
always looking at."
Potapova won their first meeting on tour in 2022 but Andreeva has won the last
four. This one prevented Potapova from reaching her first Grand Slam
quarterfinal.
"First, she just beat me. So after, I just kind of knew that she's a tough
player to play, but at the same time, she was so nice," Andreeva said.
"Then since then we would practice together, and just like that, the more you
see each other, the more you spend time together, then you just talk about
everything, discuss everything. Then just like that, I feel like we have a good
connection off the court."
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