By Clare Lovell
LONDON, June 29 (Reuters) – French Open champion Mirra Andreeva was given a good grasscourt workout on Monday before beating 59th-ranked Pole Magda Linette 7-5 6-4 in the first round at Wimbledon.
The 19-year-old Russian fifth seed was relieved to come through her first Grand Slam test after her triumph at Roland Garros on clay three weeks ago.
“It’s just always super special to get past the first round at a Grand Slam because you always have that extra pressure,” she told reporters.
“For me, I was also thinking that it would be very important for myself to just kind of prove myself that even if I did well at a last Grand Slam, that I can still continue to try and do well.”
Andreeva used her big serve to great effect with eight aces but she also produced seven double faults as she tried to outgun the experienced Linette, 15 years her senior.
The Polish player is no slouch on grass having reached the third round at Wimbledon three times before.
Linette was not afraid to come to the net and produced delicate dropshots and sharp volleys to test Andreeva as the players traded service breaks in both sets, but the Russian hit two unreturnable serves to take the first set and wore down her opponent in the second, serving out for the win.
Andreeva is bidding to become the first player to win back-to-back French Open and Wimbledon titles since Serena Williams in 2015.
She faces a tough second-round battle with 2024 Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova and said she would be discussing her game plan with coach, another former Wimbledon champion, Conchita Martinez.
“She (Krejcikova) is a two-time Grand Slam champion. She’s very experienced. She’s playing well on grass. So for sure it’s not going to be an easy match for me,” Andreeva said.
(Reporting by Clare Lovell; Editing by Alison Williams and Ed Osmond)
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