MELBOURNE, Australia — After Mirra Andreeva secured the Adelaide title last weekend, she quickly realized that three of the last four champions of that event have gone on to clinch the Australian Open in the same year. This includes Madison Keys, who shocked everyone by winning in Melbourne last year.
“Yes, I’m aware of it,” she mentioned to ESPN during an interview at Melbourne Park following her first-round victory on Monday. “I’m trying to not focus on it as we are different individuals, different players. I’m attempting to keep my mind off that.”
On Wednesday, Andreeva advanced to the third round by decisively defeating former world No. 3 Maria Sakkari, 6-0, 6-4. Her hesitance to dwell on the potential Adelaide-Australian Open double could be linked to her previous reputation as one of the more superstitious players on the Tour.
“Sometimes I would get quite superstitious,” she commented. “For instance, I would eat the same meal, wake up at the same hour, and follow the same routines. yet, in Adelaide, I intentionally broke my routine just to see the outcome. And nothing negative occurred. So from that point on, I decided not to spend my time on those kinds of practices.”
even if Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, and Coco Gauff are the current favorites for the title, Andreeva is making rapid progress. Three years ago, she finished as a finalist in the girls’ tournament at the Australian Open; now, after a year marked by two WTA 1000 titles and quarterfinal appearances at the French Open and Wimbledon, she stands as the No. 8 seed, seemingly on track for a quarterfinal showdown with Gauff.
While expectations can create pressure, Andreeva now appears equipped to manage it. She’s less prone to explosive outbursts on the court or lapses in concentration, as evidenced by her comeback from a set down to defeat Donna Vekic in the first round.
Initially, adapting to pressure was challenging for her. “I feel that in the past, it was tougher because everything was new, and I didn’t really recognize that it was normal or how to handle it,” she confessed. “yet, over time, and through discussions with Conchita [Martinez, her coach], who is incredibly experienced, along with my psychologist and my team… I now understand that it’s normal. I will face pressure from defending points or titles, but I just need to learn to accept it and play through it. That’s all.”
Martinez has been instrumental in Andreeva’s ascent into the top 10. The former Wimbledon champion exudes a relaxed demeanor off the court, a trait she shares with Andreeva—just last week, the duo was seen playfully chasing each other in the corridors at Melbourne Park just before the match against Sakkari. Calm yet strategic, Martinez previously guided Garbine Muguruza to a Wimbledon title in 2017 and spent two years coaching Karolina Pliskova.
“I think our personalities align well because we both aim for the same goals,” Andreeva remarked. “Off the court, we enjoy joking around and having fun, but once we are on site or on the court, we also understand that while we can have fun during practice, the focus shifts to working on our skills and improving whatever we need to. We recognize when it’s time to switch from fun to serious work, and that balance is why our partnership thrives.”
Andreeva is well-known for her entertaining on-court interviews, which are almost worth the price of admission themselves. “I’ve been this way my entire life,” she said. “I love to joke around and sometimes annoy people. It’s just my nature, it’s who I am.”
In the third round on Friday, Andreeva will face Romania’s Elena-Gabriela Ruse. even if a Grand Slam title is her primary objective, she also strives to avoid serious injuries.
“My foremost goal is to remain healthy, to play freely without pain,” she explained. “I also aim to enjoy every match and learn new things. My ambition is to improve daily as a tennis player and as a person. If I focus on doing things correctly, I believe good outcomes will follow. At least, that’s my hope.”
