Mirra Andreeva clears first hurdle at Wimbledon in bid to join greats

Mirra Andreeva hits a forehand against Magda Linette, who provided her with a good test in the first round. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian

They call it the toughest job in tennis. No, it’s not coaching Emma Raducanu or interviewing Corentin Moutet on live television. Since they stopped making rackets out of trees, only three women have done the Roland Garros-Wimbledon double in the same summer. You’re talking Martina Navratilova. You’re talking Steffi Graf. You’re talking Serena Williams. That’s one hell of a blunt rotation.

And so for Mirra Andreeva there is a breathtaking brutality to her task over the next fortnight: simply emulate the greatest women ever to do it. We think we know how it ends. The way it usually ends: in sprawling, exhausted defeat. Garbiñe Muguruza crashing out to Jana Cepelova in 2016 (round two). Ash Barty getting shocked by Alison Riske in 2019 (round four). A tearful Coco Gauff being outplayed by Dayana Yastremska 12 months ago (round one).