Andreeva: "I’m going to keep playing for Russia, I haven’t received any offers"

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Very comprehensive press conference from Mirra Andreeva after advancing to the third round of the Australian Open, where she analyzed her level of play and her preseason work, although there was also a tricky question about Russia.

Potapova, Kasatkina, Kudermetova, Avanesyan, Timofeeva, or Rakhimova. For whatever reason, there have been quite a few Russian tennis players in recent months who have opted to change nationality. Others, like Mira Andreeva, still remain in the same category. In this 2026 Australian Open, soon after defeating Maria Sakkari and reaching the third round, the local press didn't hesitate to ask Conchita Martínez's pupil about this issue. Will you continue competing under the same flag or are you considering a change? Here's the answer.

Victory against Sakkari

“I feel that I gained some confidence in Adelaide, especially after winning the tournament and arriving in Melbourne with a lot of matches. You could say that the last victory gave me some confidence, definitely, so now I'm trying to maintain that same level, mentality, and confidence for as long as possible while I'm here.”

Greek's moment of inspiration

“We know Maria is a very aggressive player, she likes to take her forehand and also her backhand. I tried to neutralize her shots from the baseline, to be solid, but at the same time, I wanted to have the opportunity to intervene and take advantage of my situation. I felt the plan was working well, then I lost a bit of concentration because she is also human and started playing better. In the second set, I felt I had some tough games where anything could have happened, so I'm happy not to have played a third set.”

Had you ever played so well before?

“I remember playing very well in Cincinnati 2024 when I lost 7-5 to Iga in the third set. I remember finishing that tournament playing really well, perhaps with the same feelings as in Roland Garros when I reached the semifinals and felt so secure on the court. Today, I had the same thoughts, from the warm-up I could see that the ball was running well for me, I think I only missed two or three shots in about 30 minutes. I'd say it's the best warm-up I've had. It all started there, I played very solid all the time.”

The crowd rooting for your opponent

“It wasn't my worst experience with the fans, although obviously they were loud, they were really supporting Mirra. When she won those three games in a row, I would say it was like 11-12 points in a row, it was noticeable. They started getting very loud on the court, at that moment I thought I could lose concentration because I'm also human and it can happen to me. She started playing better, so I tried not to focus on the crowd, I just wanted to think about getting back on the scoreboard. I'm happy with how I handled that moment, I never got frustrated at any point.”

Is Mirra Andreeva considering changing nationality?

“I haven't even thought about it, I've heard and seen it lately, especially about Kasatkina and how she changed her citizenship. Many players have switched, but I'm going to keep playing as I am, I haven't had any offers or anything like that, so for now, I'll continue as is. It doesn't bring any extra pressure for me; I'm just doing my thing on the court. I focus on how to improve and be a better tennis player.”

Constant work with Conchita Martínez

“We've done good work, especially in the preseason. Now is when I start to see the result, in everything we've worked on. For example, I'm no longer afraid to use certain shots, techniques, or tactics during matches; we've worked a lot on this. Years ago I would have panicked in certain situations, like today after losing 12 points in a row. She's helping me with that, she always tells me that if I fall, it's okay, because I'm a tennis player, like her. Fortunately, things can change quickly.”

Areas improved over the years

“I used to be a more defensive player when I was younger. In the year and a half I've been working with Conchita, I've prepared to take the initiative; she knows I can do it, and now I know it too. This gives you more points, more results in the game. When I get tense, I tend to revert to my old habits, but now I realize that my game still works, so there are times when I force myself to stay much more on the baseline, especially when I'm not comfortable.”

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Andreeva: “Voy a seguir jugando por Rusia, no he recibido ninguna oferta”