Mirra Andreeva is the tennis world’s newest sensation, bursting into the WTA Top 10 at just 17 and claiming her first WTA 1000 title with a flair that leaves everyone speechless. Her meteoric rise is not just about her incredible skills on the court; it’s also about the fire that drives her. And the source of that fire? None other than NBA legend LeBron James, the basketball star who dominated the court for 22 years! Yes, you might have heard the teenager credit his quote in his post-match interview as to what kept her going to be a true champion. But tennis has been her whole life, is basketball a part of that too?
On February 22, the 17-year-old phenom faced early trouble against Clara Tauson, dropping serve to go 0-2 down, but she fought back like a pro, breaking Tauson to level things at 2-2 and forcing a nail-biting tiebreaker. Andreeva dominated the tiebreaker, storming through the first six points, and then absolutely blitzed the second set, leaving Tauson frustrated and scrambling. Mirra later revealed in her post-match press conference, “I’ve been listening to a lot of LeBron James interviews & he said that It’s easy to be confident & play good when everything goes your way, but what makes you a champion is when you’re giving your best when you don’t feel great. So that’s what I tried to do today.” Now she stands as the youngest WTA 1000 champion!
While many applauded her mindset and her stellar performance, Mirra Andreeva revealed something during an interview with a Russian sports channel – apparently, the teenager isn’t even into basketball! She said, “To be honest, I’m not a fan, I only know tennis.” Having kicked off in the tennis circuit at just 15 years old, the Russian started playing at the age of six! With tennis being her passion, she added, “I don’t know much about anything. I know names like LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, but I don’t really watch basketball, the NBA. I was simply looking for motivational quotes, videos to watch before matches.” Seems like this motivational quote came to her at the right time, right?
Just after facing a second-round defeat at the Qatar Open, she stormed into the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, ready to take on the best. And take them on she did, delivering one of the biggest upsets of the tournament by dismantling Poland’s Iga Swiatek in the quarterfinals with a commanding 6-3, 6-3 victory. This wasn’t just any win; it was a statement of intent from the 17-year-old Russian sensation.
But Mirra Andreeva wasn’t done yet! In the semifinals, she found herself trailing 3-1 in the deciding set against Elena Rybakina, a formidable opponent ranked seventh in the world. Yet, she refused to back down, rallying back with spectacular resilience and audacious shot-making to take the match 6-4, 4-6, 6-3. This unwavering spirit set the stage for her historic final against Tauson in the end.
Her monumental victory catapulted her from No. 14 to No. 9 in the WTA rankings, making her the first 17-year-old to break into the Top 10 since Nicole Vaidisova in 2007. Perhaps that’s why she believes LeBron’s words “worked” to push her, even though she “doesn’t understand anything” about his sport. You can’t deny there was some magic in the air, but ultimately, she has only herself to thank for this triumph!
Mirra Andreeva credits herself, amongst others for her win in Dubai!
Andreeva is truly something else. If you look beyond her impressive skills on the court, you’ll find an energetic teenager who’s not only smart but also witty in her responses. When it came time for her victory speech, she took a moment to acknowledge the real MVP of her journey—herself! With a refreshing dose of humor and humility, the Russian star said, “Last but not least, I’d like to thank me. I know what I’ve been dealing with, so I want to thank me for always believing in me. I want to thank me for never quitting & always dealing with the pressure. Today was not easy, but I chose to be there 100%, so I thank myself.”
As she celebrated this milestone, Mirra Andreeva also expressed heartfelt gratitude to her coach, the former Wimbledon champion Conchita Martinez, who joined her team a year ago. Andreeva’s appreciation for her coach was evident in her special message: “Especially thanks to Conchita. I know that I can be a pain in the a**. But you have always been there for me and it feels great to lift this title together. And I hope that we can lift many more trophies together.” This strong bond between Andreeva and Martínez is clearly yielding impressive results, and their partnership is one to watch.
Despite her young age, Mirra Andreeva’s future looks incredibly bright. She jokingly refers to herself as “old” since she started competing two years ago, but insiders like Rick Macchi believe she’s on track to win more Grand Slams and clinch the No.1 spot in no time. With her incredible talent and infectious personality, Andreeva is undoubtedly the next big thing in tennis. What do you think?
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