Andreeva into WTA Beijing final: 6:2, 6:2 over surprise package Bartunkova

TVS News AI, editorially supervised, presents Andreeva into WTA Beijing final: 6:2, 6:2 over surprise package Bartunkova.

With a double-set victory, Mirra Andreeva cut through the semifinal knot at the WTA 1000 in Beijing. The 19-year-old Russian sent Czech surprise Nikola Bartunkova off the court on Saturday with 6:2, 6:2 and booked her place in the final.

For Bartunkova, who had stormed into the semifinal as an unseeded player, the dream run on the big stage came to an end. Andreeva, ranked No. 5 in the world, dictated pace and depth from the start – Bartunkova (world ranking 34) found almost no answer to the Russian's powerful baseline game.

What this means for you as a tennis fan: In Sunday's final, it's not just about the title in Beijing for Andreeva, but also about climbing further up the WTA rankings – according to Ouest-France Sport, the final appearance already guarantees she will move up in the WTA rankings.

How clear the semifinal performance really was

If you only see the result, you might think: "Was it really that one-sided?" The answer: yes. Andreeva conceded just four games across both sets, distributed the balls with variety, and forced Bartunkova into hasty replies with her ball machine. At 19, Andreeva is the youngest in the Top 5 – and she's playing like it at the moment.

Who is Nikola Bartunkova?

Bartunkova was the story of this tournament. The Czech, ranked No. 34 in the world, had knocked out higher-ranked players on her path to the semifinal and stood in the last four as an "invitée surprise" – as L'Équipe called her. Against Andreeva, ranked five places higher, the surprises were over: the first WTA-level meeting between the two went clearly to the Russian.

What awaits in the final

Who faces Andreeva on Sunday had not yet been decided at the time of reporting. In the second semifinal, Belgian Elise Mertens (world ranking 19) faced China's Zheng Qinwen (world ranking 54). No matter which of the two wins: Andreeva goes into the final as the clear favorite – after this performance in Beijing, she has every right to be.