Kostyuk was given very little to work with and couldn’t quite find her range. Andreeva was the dominant force, chalking up five break points at 4-0 until the Ukrainian escaped with a game on the scoreboard after 25 one-sided minutes.
Andreeva’s passing shots were arrowed down the lines with ease, there was no hesitation, it was relentless hitting.
The world No.15 angled the play to force Andreeva out wide on the left where she managed to launch the ball over the net post and down the line into the corner. It was a moment of Mirra magic to spark a 2-0 second set advantage.
Andreeva’s coach Conchita Martinez, the RG 2000 runner-up, knew it was a significant strike and pointed her index finger to her right temple, prompting her charge to maintain her focus into the finishing straight.
