Coco Gauff solves fellow teen Mirra Andreeva to surge into Roland Garros second week

WATCH: Gauff spoke to the press after reaching the third round of Roland Garros on Thursday.

PARIS—Older and wiser Coco Gauff won the battle of teen phenoms at Roland Garros on Saturday; the 19-year-old rallied from a set down and won 12 of the final 14 games to defeat 16-year-old Mirra Andreeva, 6-7 (5), 6-1, 6-1 to reach the fourth round for a third straight year.

“I’m really proud of how I competed today,” Gauff said on court. “Mirra has a lot to look forward to and I’m sure we’re going to have a lot of tough battles in the future.”

Andreeva burst onto the scene this spring by winning 16 straight matches—culminating with a fourth-round appearance at the Mutua Madrid Open—but despite a quality week in Paris and a strong start against Gauff, the Russian qualifier was ultimately overawed and the American advanced in just over two hours on Court Suzanne-Lenglen.

Gauff’s own middling form through the clay-court season had made earmarked her as a potential upset victim, but after defeating Spaniard Rebeka Masarova in three sets to kick off her Roland Garros campaign, the 2022 runner-up had looked more solid in the second round against Julia Grabher.

Her meeting with Andreeva was foreshadowed by a pre-tournament practice the two enjoyed in the shadows of Court Philippe-Chatrier.

“Obviously she's young, but I don't see age as a factor, to be honest,” Gauff said after her second-round victory. “You have to play her as you would play any other person that's grown and strong. Obviously, she's proved her position here, and I'm going to try to do my best against her.”

Andreeva looked to prove Gauff’s point in the early going, twice earning a break advantage and holding two points for a 5-2 lead. Gauff recovered to level the set and subsequently force a tiebreak, but while she kept things close by the first change of ends, two loose errors handed her fellow teenager three set points.

Though Gauff saved the first two with remarkable fight, Andreeva converted her third and appeared on course for another ruthless upset, having not lost a set through three qualifying and two main-draw matches.

The match quickly turned from there, and Gauff proved a crucial three years stronger to overpower an increasingly frustrated Andreeva. Racing to level the second set, Gauff navigated a long third game and sailed through the rest of the match, striking her 35th winner of the match to edge over the finish line.

Standing between Gauff and a third straight quarterfinal on the terre battue is either Anna Karolina Schmiedlova or American qualifier Kayla Day, who earned an impressive three-set win over Madison Keys in the second round.