Mirra Andreeva secures first grass-court win since 2023 at Bad Homburg Open

Mirra Andreeva clinched her first grass-court victory of the season in her Bad Homburg Open debut, defeating Clara Tauson 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 to advance to the quarterfinals of the tournament. The world No. 6 had fallen in her Berlin Ladies Open debut last week against Magdalena Frech, but she is starting to show progress on the surface.

The Russian teenager is playing Bad Homburg as her final preparatory tournament before traveling to Wimbledon. Back in 2024, she went through the grass-court swing with two losses and no wins, making this her first victory since Wimbledon 2023, when she reached the fourth round coming from qualifying at just 16 years old in her first season as a professional.

It was a more than complicated match for Andreeva, a repeat of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships final, where Andreeva had won her first WTA 1000 title. This was the fourth time she had faced Tauson this season, and once again Andreeva overcame a set deficit – just like in Rome less than two months ago.

The first set began evenly with both players defending their service games, until 3-2, when Andreeva lost her serve for the first time and saw the Dane take the lead. Tauson, 23, won the last 10 points played on her serve consecutively and ultimately took the set 6-3.

The world No. 23 has one of her great strengths in her serve; she typically doesn't give her opponents many options and manages to impose consistent service games. This time she saved the only break chance against her and maintained a 72% first serve in, winning 76% of those points (and 75% on her second serve).

It was Andreeva's turn to battle from behind against an opponent who continued to win her service games easily. Andreeva struggled to put the ball in play on too many points, and there were few long rallies when it was Tauson's turn to serve. However, she held onto her serve and patiently waited for her chance, which would come in the sixth game. Andreeva secured her second break point and took the lead.

Just like Tauson in the first set, Andreeva capitalized on the momentum after taking the lead and held firmly to her serve, without overcomplicating things, to take the set 6-3 after 40 minutes, improving her first-serve effectiveness from 50% in the first set to 80% in the second set.

The third set began evenly with both winning their first service game. However, the teenager showed more determination in the final part of the match. She secured the break in the third game, and from there, she surged physically while Tauson began to falter with unforced errors.

Andreeva took absolute control of the match, displaying good service games and securing three consecutive breaks. From a duel that had gone an hour and a half without either player truly taking the lead, Andreeva showed her best tennis in the final part of the match. She won three consecutive breaks and took the set 6-1 after 37 minutes, guaranteeing the victory and her passage to the quarterfinals. Her next challenge will be against young Czech Linda Noskova, who has consecutively defeated Alja Tomljanovic and Donna Vekic.