Coach of US Open champion Aryna Sabalenka, Anton Dubrov, paid tribute to a WTA rival he claims is just like Martina Hingis.
Nobody has got close to Aryna Sabalenka over the past month, with the Belarusian powerhouse sauntering to a maiden US Open title a fortnight ago.
The charismatic presence of the world number two has guided her to 13 straight wins, just three away from her career-best run.
A careful and patient win over Thai qualifier and WTA number 187 Mananchaya Sawangkaew exhibited everything supreme about Sabalenka’s game.
Her ability to adjust and problem solve along with her burning commitment to huge ball-striking made for an entertaining statement win.
With Ashlyn Krueger to play for a spot in the last-16 of the China Open, the top seed is accelerating towards that world number one spot – a feat made more possible after Iga Swiatek’s Beijing withdrawal.
Anton Dubrov claims 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva reminds him of Martina Hingis
Anton Dubrov has overseen Sabalenka’s three Grand Slam titles, with her latest at Flushing Meadows coming exactly a year after she agonizingly lost out to Coco Gauff.
The 29-year-old Belarusian, who has been coaching Sabalenka since 2020, piled on the praise for teenage sensation Mirra Andreeva in an interview with Championat.
“It’s deserved, at least because she’s 17 years old. And at the age of 17, her game reminds me of Martina Hingis,” Dubrov said of Andreeva, who defeated Sabalenka at the French Open this year.
Having forged a career out of endless record-breaking, Hingis became the youngest Grand Slam singles winner in the 20th century by winning the Australian Open at age 16 years and 3 months.
With Andreeva similarly finding success so young, Dubrov’s comparison adds up completely. He went on to explain how the Russian already has a level of maturity and style on par with the top stars.
“Her understanding of the court is better than that of the vast majority of players,” he added. “She can use any tactics and counter the strength of the opponent well: she understands better how to neutralize them. Which is very important.
“If the girls come out and hope for some shots without playing the rally to the end, Mirra can neutralize the attack, force them to re-enter the rally. And when you are not ready for it, neither physically nor mentally, you start to fade away somewhere.”
Just how good can Mirra Andreeva become on the WTA Tour?
The 17-year-old has the potential to become to easily become a mainstay in the top ten of the WTA rankings, given her impressive performances already – especially after Andreeva admitted she wants to play for 20 more years on the WTA tour.
With a mature playing style, strong baseline game, and natural court awareness, she has already shown she can compete against top-ranked players and has already notched up four wins over top ten players.
A stunning Olympic silver medal with Diana Shnaider demonstrated Andreeva’s incredible versatility and natural talent.
Her rapid rise through the rankings suggests she has the talent and mentality to reach the upper echelons of the sport.
As she gains experience and continues to refine her game, Andreeva could become a consistent Grand Slam contender.
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