"We thought it was a joke": ATP No. 1146 who faced Mirra Andreeva at France exhibition lays bare what transpired in the lead-up to the bizarre clash
On Sunday, December 17, the tennis world was left astounded when prodigy Mirra Andreeva took the court against a man, Yanis Ghazouani Durand, in her final match at the 2023 Negometal Open de Bourg-de-Peage exhibition event in France. The ATP No. 1146 has now reflected on their duel and opened up on what transpired in the lead-up to the match.
Yanis Ghazouani Durand reveals how he ended up playing against Mirra Andreeva
In a surprising turn of events, Yanis Ghazouani Durand found himself facing off against Mirra Andreeva at the Negometal Open de Bourg-de-Peage exhibition event in France. Ghazouani Durand, the ATP No. 1146, recently shared his experience and shed light on what happened in the lead-up to the match.
Originally, Andreeva was scheduled to play against Marta Kostyuk in the final. However, Kostyuk refused to share the court with the Russian player due to the ongoing conflict between their countries. As a result, Ghazouani Durand was brought in as a last-minute replacement, much to his surprise.
Ghazouani Durand revealed that he was initially supposed to be Andreeva's hitting partner before the final match. But a sudden change of plans forced him to step onto the court as her opponent. He admitted that the decision put a lot of pressure on him and that he initially thought it was a joke.
Mirra Andreeva's performance against Yanis Ghazouani Durand
Despite the unusual circumstances, Mirra Andreeva proved herself on the court against Yanis Ghazouani Durand. The 16-year-old displayed her skills and gave a tough challenge to her opponent, eventually losing with a score of 5-7, 2-6. Despite the loss, Andreeva was still awarded the winner's trophy.
Ghazouani Durand shared his experience of playing against Andreeva, stating that it was his first time playing against a female opponent in a match setting. He admitted that it was a unique experience, especially with a large audience watching. He also acknowledged the difficulty he faced in not knowing what to expect from the match.
In comparison to his male colleagues, Ghazouani Durand mentioned the noticeable difference in power and physicality. He highlighted that the men's top 100 players have a higher level of power in their game. However, he also acknowledged Andreeva's impressive performance and mentioned that it was still challenging to win against her.
