Mirra Andreeva failed to turn the page at the WTA 1000 tournament in Beijing after the No. 4 seed picked up a shock 5-7 6-2 5-7 loss to 81st-ranked Sonay Kartal.
After missing out on two consecutive break points at the start of the match, the Russian tennis star got broken at the worst possible moment - the 12th game - when she was serving to stay in the first set.
While Andreeva managed to bounce back in the second set with her first two breaks of the match, she struggled to keep up with the same level in the third set. With the two players tied to five games apiece, the No. 4 seed had a break point, but didn't realize it. The two-time WTA 1000 champion paid the ultimate price as she once again lost her serve in the critical time and Kartal completed a shock win after nearly two and a half hours of play.
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For 23-year-old Kartal - who has never been ranked higher than No. 44 in the world - this was the biggest win of her career. In the Beijing quarterfinal, Kartal will meet No. 26 seed Linda Noskova.
Andreeva's slump continues despite the Russian's attempts to be more positive
Since losing to Belinda Bencic in the Wimbledon quarterfinal, Andreeva's form hasn't been the best. In Montreal, she was upset by McCartney Kessler in the third round, before being bounced by Taylor Townsend in the US Open third round. Now, she also picked up a surprise defeat in Beijing.
"I'm trying to really focus on enjoying the game more. After I won those titles (Dubai and Indian Wells), I started to feel more pressure and more expectations. I'm working on being positive, having a good mindset and just trying to enjoy the game, and do whatever I want to do on court without overthinking," the 18-year-old said after arriving in Beijing.
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It remains to be seen if Andreeva can enjoy a more positive run at the upcoming WTA 1000 tournament in Wuhan.
