This year’s Miami Open has a new player bursting onto the scene in the women’s draw.
Czech 16-year-old Linda Fruhvirtova only managed to make it into the main draw thanks to a wildcard handed to her by the organizers. She has managed to seize her opportunity with a trio of impressive wins. She began her campaign by crushing Danka Kovinic 6-0, 6-4, in what was her first-ever completed victory over a top 100 player and her first at a WTA 1000 event. In the second round she stunned 20th seed Elise Mertens 7-5, 2-6, 6-1, in what was her maiden match against somebody ranked in the world’s top 25. Then on Sunday Fruhvirtova continued her fairytale run after Victoria Azarenka abruptly retired whilst trailing 6-2, 3-0, to the youngster. Making her the youngest player to reach the last 16 of the tournament since 2004.
“It’s what I’ve always dreamed of, playing on these big stadiums in front of so many people,” Fruhvirtova told The Tennis Channel. “It’s definitely a dream come true and I’m enjoying it.”
For many Fruhvirtova, who grew up training at the Patrick Mouratoglou Academy, remains a relatively unknown name in the sport. To get familiarized with the new rising star of the sport, here are five facts to know about the Czech.
- Ranking
At 279th in the world Fruhvirtova is the second-youngest player in the world’s top 300 behind Victoria Jiménez Kasintseva (No.177) of Andorra. Just 12 months ago she was ranked 515th in the world and only broke into the top 300 in October.
As a result of her Miami run, Fruhvirtova is now projected to break inside the top 200 next week. - WTA history so far
Miami is only her fourth appearance in the main draw of a WTA event. Fruhvirtova made her debut at the age of 14 when she was given a wildcard into the 2020 Prague Open. She lost in the first round to Kristyna Pliskova 6-2, 7-5. The following year the teenager won her first main draw matches in Charleston after defeating Alize Cornet and Emma Navarro. A couple weeks later she also reached the second round in Cleveland as a lucky loser. - ITF successes
Fruhvirtova has won three ITF titles in her career with the biggest of those triumphs occurring last month when she won a W25 event in Cancun, Mexico. Last year she won a duo of W15 trophies at tournaments in Monastir, Tunisia. - Junior career
The Czech is currently ranked third in the world in juniors despite not playing a match on the circuit since December. According to the ITF, she has a win-loss record of 40-7 and won three J1 events last year. J1 is the second-highest category for junior events after JA which the category all Grand Slams fall in. At the 2019 French Open Fruhvirtova became the first player born in 2005 to play in a junior Grand Slam event. - Her sister
Fruhvirtova isn’t the only tennis prodigy from her family. Her sister Brenda is two years younger than her and has already started to make her mark in the sport. Brenda is already ranked 389th in the world after winning back-to-back W25 titles in Argentina earlier this year. She made her WTA debut at the 2022 Abierto Zapopan in Mexico after coming through qualifying where she lost in the first round to Sloane Stephens.
Together the sisters won junior doubles titles at the J1 Guadalajara Open and the J2 Santo Domingo Open last year.
Fruhvirtova will play Spain’s Paula Badosa in the fourth round of the Miami Open.
