Mirra Andreeva failed to win her first ever WTA 500 title earlier today falling to close friend Daria Kasatkina in the final of the Ningbo Open. The No.5 seed prevailed in a 6-0, 4-6, 6-4 clash in their first meeting.
She needed one hour and 54 minutes to hold off Andreeva who is at a career high of World No.19 at the age of 17 and has been a real bright light over the past 18 months. But it was a loss that perhaps got a bit much for her.
"It's been a very, very tough week, honestly," Kasatkina said after prevailing. "All the matches were super tough. In the quarterfinal I came back from two match points down, and today from 3-0, almost 4-0 [down] in the third set.
"So this trophy means a lot because I worked on many challenges during this week, and I'm really proud of myself."
"In the first set, I gave everything, I was super focused, and the level was so high," Kasatkina said. "But obviously after that, I dropped a little bit, and Mirra was already there, ready to take it over.
"She's this kind of player who never gives up, and to win any point, you have to almost die on court. It was the case, and honestly I feel like it's a miracle, the third set."
"I think in terms of consistency, this year was [my] best one," Kasatkina said. "Mentally, outside of the court as well, so I'm pretty happy with myself, the way we're doing our job, and how things are going. There's nothing to complain about, for sure."
But she was seen hugging a crying Andreeva after the match. Those who follow Kasatkina's What the Vlog will know about their bond. Andreeva often appears on the channel ran by Dasha and her girlfriend who was seen on court afterwards in a heartwarming embrace.
The 17-year-old has had the chance to show off her personality to her audience and likely will feature in this week's vlog. But at least whilst she lost, their friendship remains.
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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