PARIS : Romania’s Sorana Cirstea hailed teenage sensation Mirra Andreeva as a “blessing” for tennis and backed the Russian to win the French Open after suffering a one-sided quarter-final defeat at Roland Garros on Tuesday.
Andreeva, 19, swept past her frequent practice partner 6-0 6-3 to reach the semi-finals, recording her second victory over Cirstea in recent months after also beating the Romanian in Linz earlier this year.
With defending champion Coco Gauff and four-time French Open winner Iga Swiatek already eliminated, Andreeva has emerged as one of the leading contenders for the title alongside world number one Aryna Sabalenka.
“I absolutely adore Mirra,” Cirstea told reporters. “She’s such a wonderful girl. She has a beautiful team and has surrounded herself with good people.
“She’s a blessing for the sport. She’s sweet, kind and has a great personality. She’s very funny and plays amazing tennis. I think she has everything someone would dream of. I would really like her to win this one.”
Andreeva will next face Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk for a place in her first Grand Slam final.
For Cirstea, the defeat marked her final appearance at Roland Garros after announcing she will retire at the end of the season.
“I’m sticking to my decision. Nothing has changed in my mind,” the 36-year-old said. “I’m very grateful for how the year is going and overall it was a solid tournament.
“Today the conditions were very slow. I wasn’t able to hurt her with anything. She played very well. My level was a little bit low and her level was high. That was the difference.”
Despite never progressing beyond the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam, Cirstea said she was proud of a career that has spanned more than two decades.
“The longevity of my career is one of the things I’m most proud of,” she said.
