Mirra Andreeva's Odyssey After Her First Grand Slam: "I Try to Forget What Happened and Move On"
The Russian tennis player achieved her first victory in Cincinnati, conceding only one game to Oliynykova. A resounding victory that she later analyzed with the press, confirming how challenging it has been to manage her title at Roland Garros.
It has been a long time since we last talked about Mirra Andreeva. I mean in a positive way, about something good regarding the Russian player on the court. The title at Roland Garros marked the peak of her season, but we also knew how tough the comeback would be when you have to manage a Grand Slam at just 19 years old.
And so it was, we were not wrong, but we won't hold it against her. Andreeva is a generational talent, yes, but no one escapes those learning stages where things don’t quite go as one wants. This week, at the WTA 1000 in Cincinnati, the goal is to regain the wind at her back, and to that end, she started off strong yesterday, dropping only one game in her debut. A crushing start for Conchita Martínez’s pupil, who later stopped by the Tennis Channel table to share the odyssey she has gone through in the last two months.
Mirra Andreeva analyzes her debut in Cincinnati
“At the beginning of the match, it was very even. In the first three games, we spent almost half an hour, with many break points for her and lots of game points. Then I took the initiative, and it was really tough, especially because of the humidity. I saw in the morning that I was at 91% and thought: ‘Wow, I need to prepare for this.’ She is a very complicated opponent, I had never played against her. I’m very happy with how I played, I tried to be aggressive, my serve was on point, so I’m quite satisfied.”
Aggressiveness as a response
“I tried that every time I had a break point, it was like ‘boom goes the dynamite.’ I aimed to play very aggressively, look for my shots, and not give her the opportunity to take the initiative. After the match, we continued working on my serve because I wasn’t satisfied with the number of double faults I had made. We spent about 15 to 20 minutes refining my shots and doing some exchanges. It was something I think I needed after the match.”
The difficult comeback after Roland Garros
“It wasn’t easy, of course, considering the results I had after Paris. It’s not easy to try to play at such a high level after winning the tournament you’ve always dreamed of. I tried to use every loss to gain experience after Paris, but mentally it wasn’t easy, and it wasn’t easy for my game either. Now I’m trying to forget what happened and move on. Right now my focus is on Cincinnati because I love playing here.”
Four days to celebrate in Paris
“I didn’t buy anything at first… Well, I’m lying. I bought a very nice bag. It wasn’t especially expensive, but I had wanted it for quite some time. I only had four days of rest because we had to return to training and transition to grass, so I didn’t have much time to celebrate, but four days is better than nothing. It’s a black, very simple Louis Vuitton bag. I wanted something I could carry everywhere, and I love it.”
Kasatkina's wedding, one of the best moments of her summer
“It was amazing, it was my first wedding, and I’m very happy I was invited because I got to experience one of the most important moments of her life. We had a great time, danced until three in the morning, talked a lot with the girls, and I met a lot of new people. At first, I'm not a great dancer, but after meeting almost everyone, I relaxed and was able to show my moves. I hope there’s no video floating around (laughs). I also ate a lot: ice cream, cake, everything. Everything was delicious, from the first dish to the last.”
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, La odisea de Mirra Andreeva tras su primer Grand Slam: "Intento olvidar lo que pasó y seguir adelante”