Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the WTA Roland Garros match.
Mirra Andreeva and Yulia Putintseva have both reached the third round in Paris, but the manner in which they've done so speaks volumes. The rising Russian star has cruised through her matches, while Putintseva has struggled against players ranked well outside the top 100. With Andreeva currently Russia’s No.1, she enters this encounter as the clear favourite.
Mirra Andreeva
Andreeva has been sensational on clay this season, winning 9 of her 12 matches. Her only defeats came against top-tier opposition – twice to Coco Gauff and once to Ekaterina Alexandrova. Against everyone else, she’s dropped just one set. The 17-year-old’s maturity on court is striking, especially against older players – she’s claimed seven wins in nine meetings against opponents over 30. At Roland Garros, she’s dismissed Cristina Bucsa (No.98) and Ashlyn Krueger (No.35) in straight sets, winning 73% of points behind her first serve.
Yulia Putintseva
Putintseva, by contrast, has taken the long road through the early rounds, needing tie-breaks to get past Solana Sierra (No.110) and Joanna Garland (No.175). She’s claimed just five wins on clay this year and has largely faced modest opposition – Sierra being the highest-ranked among them. Against top-10 players, her record is poor, with five losses in her last seven such matches.
Mirra Andreeva vs Yulia Putintseva Prediction
Andreeva’s variety and control in rallies are far superior to Putintseva’s more one-dimensional style. Given her current form and confidence, the young Russian is expected to take command early and close out the match without major resistance.
