Mirra Andreeva’s push for a place at the WTA Finals has hit a serious snag. The 18-year-old’s defeat at the Ningbo Open — a pivotal event in the run-up to the season finale in Riyadh — leaves her qualification hopes hanging by a thread.
The Russian teenager fell 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 to Lin Zhu, the local favourite who was still riding the momentum of her upset win over Emma Raducanu. Zhu, buoyed by the home crowd and Raducanu’s struggles in the Chinese heat, handled the pressure better than her higher-ranked opponent.
It’s another setback for Andreeva at a venue that carries mixed memories. She reached last year’s final here, losing to Daria Kasatkina in tears after an emotional collapse reminiscent of her meltdown in the early stages of Wuhan just a week ago.
Andreeva vs Zhu – Full Match Stats
| Statistic | Andreeva | Zhu |
|---|---|---|
| Dominance Ratio | 0.82 | 1.21 |
| Serve Rating | 203 | 251 |
| Aces | 4 | 2 |
| Double Faults | 12 | 4 |
| 1st Serve % | 62% (60/97) | 70% (69/98) |
| 1st Serve Points Won | 60% (36/60) | 64% (44/69) |
| 2nd Serve Points Won | 35% (13/37) | 48% (14/29) |
| Break Points Saved | 60% (9/15) | 56% (5/9) |
| Service Games | 54% (7/13) | 71% (10/14) |
| Ace % | 4.1% | 2% |
| Double Fault % | 12.4% | 4.1% |
| Return Rating | 161 | 191 |
| 1st Return Points Won | 36% (25/69) | 40% (24/60) |
| 2nd Return Points Won | 52% (15/29) | 65% (24/37) |
| Break Points Won | 44% (4/9) | 40% (6/15) |
| Return Games | 29% (4/14) | 46% (6/13) |
| Pressure Points | 54% (13/24) | 46% (11/24) |
| Service Points | 51% (49/97) | 59% (58/98) |
| Return Points | 41% (40/98) | 49% (48/97) |
| Total Points | 46% (89/195) | 54% (106/195) |
| Match Points Saved | 0 | 0 |
| Max Points In A Row | 5 | 7 |
| Service Games Won | 54% (7/13) | 71% (10/14) |
| Max Games In A Row | 3 | 6 |
| Injury Timeouts | 0 | 0 |
| Match Duration | 2h 19m | |
For more WTA match reports, visit our Match Reports section.
A Season That Began in Style, Now Slipping Away
Andreeva’s 2025 season had started in dream fashion, with standout wins in Dubai and Indian Wells marking her as one of the year’s breakout stars. But a mid-season injury derailed her progress, and since then her momentum has been fragile.
Just weeks ago, her place at the WTA Finals looked all but assured. She still clings to one of the last two qualifying spots, ahead of Jasmine Paolini and Elena Rybakina. Yet with her early Ningbo exit, the door has opened wide for both challengers — especially if either produces a deep run this week.
Rybakina will likely need to reach the final to stay in contention, but Andreeva’s fate is no longer in her own hands.
Shnaider, Tomljanovic, and Bencic Advance
While Andreeva stumbled, her doubles partner Diana Shnaider staged a spirited comeback, defeating Karolina Muchova in a turbulent clash.
Ajla Tomljanovic continued her resurgence, beating Zeynep Sonmez to reach the third round, while Belinda Bencic opened the day’s play with a gritty victory over Yuliia Starodubtseva.
Waiting Game for the Teen Prodigy
For Mirra Andreeva, the coming days will be a tense watch. Once a near-certainty for Riyadh, she now finds herself at the mercy of others’ results.
Brilliance has never been her issue — composure has. If she misses out, China may well be remembered as the month when her WTA Finals dream slipped through her fingers.