Andreeva calls the tune despite morning blues

Story of the match

A year ago, the 18-year-old stunned an under-the-weather Aryna Sabalenka for her maiden Grand Slam semi-final berth, a declaration this gifted teenager was seriously knocking on the door at the majors.

As the youngest player in the top 100 Andreeva has lost count of the number of times the need for patience was reiterated during her swift ascent.

While there was no shame in successive quarter-final defeats to Coco Gauff in Madrid and Rome, her results on clay leading in were modest for a player who went on a tear early in the season to claim Indian Wells and Dubai back-to-back.

It did her well to remember the need to bide her time against her 27-year-old opponent on Tuesday.

Bucsa had never beaten a top 10 opponent in six previous attempts but showed not a scrap of nerves at Court Suzanne-Lenglen.

While the Moldova-born Spaniard was never any threat of blasting Andreeva off court, she had the creative nous and footspeed to initially unsettle the teenager and soon had a double break in hand after just 12 minutes.

Andreeva flung her arms out in frustration in coach Conchita Martinez’s direction on the way to a 2-4 deficit but maintained a level head.

Four straight games later she had secured the opening set.

An early break for 3-1 in the second had Andreeva in the driver’s seat and barring a wobble on serve from break points down when closing it out, it was a measured showing that booked a meeting with Dutchwoman Suzan Lamens or American Ashlyn Krueger next.

After 82 minutes she still had most of the day free, just reward for that early start.

Teen in good company

In the past four decades, only Iga Swiatek and Monica Seles (9-1) have notched more wins than Andreeva’s eight from their first 10 singles outings at Roland-Garros.

Now the youngest top 10 WTA player to win a match in Paris since a 17-year-old Serena Williams in 1999, Andreeva’s 28th match win of the season drew her level with Swiatek for the third most after Sabalenka and Jessica Pegula and improved her first-round record at the Slams to 8-1.

She finished with 25 winners to Bucsa’s 16 and 26 unforced errors to 20 and was particularly dominant on rallies under five shots – she claimed 44 of 70.

Andreeva’s assessment

As the first match on Lenglen, there was no time for Andreeva to ease her way into the day, much less if Martinez put her through her paces.

“I had to wake up at 6.40am. Then I had 35 minutes to pack my bag and do everything, then I had 25 mins to have breakfast, then I had 30 minutes to come here, then I spent 11 minutes in the locker-room and then we did the warm-up and we went on court so it's very well planned,” she said.

“On the court, I warm up 30-40 minutes with a hitting partner, then we finish with some baskets with Conchita so it depends on her mood. If she's in a good mood then she doesn't move me as much but if she's a bit p****d at me, then I do some running.”

Despite racking up teenage-related milestones, it soon became apparent Andreeva is somewhat of an old soul at heart.

Her pump-up tune of choice is Bon Jovi’s 1986 hit Livin’ on a Prayer.

“I started to listen to Bon Jovi since two years now. I don't know why,” she said. “I was playing Wimbledon and at some point I was like 'Wow, I love it. Who is this singer and what's that song? Then I found out it was Bon Jovi and since then I listen to a couple of songs of him. No offence, but I'm working with Conchita so I have to kind of manage my music taste.”