At just 17 years old, Mirra Andreeva is returning to the tournament where her name first began turning heads. Two years ago, as a 15-year-old, she reached the round of 16 at the Mutua Madrid Open, marking her arrival on the WTA stage. Now, the rising Russian star is back, aiming to prove she belongs among the sport’s elite.
She took her first step in that direction on Wednesday, defeating Marie Bouzkova in her Madrid opener with a composed and confident performance.
“She’s a tough opponent because she always returns one more ball,” Andreeva said afterward. “I stayed patient and focused on playing my game. I’m really happy with how I managed today’s match.”
Building Momentum in 2025
Andreeva’s return to Madrid comes during a standout season. In 2025, she has already captured titles at both Dubai and Indian Wells. Her steady rise has been guided in part by Spanish legend Conchita Martínez, whose mentorship continues to shape Andreeva’s growth.
“Sometimes I get more nervous around her,” Andreeva admitted, “but she really helps me understand what I’m feeling and what’s happening. We talk about everything, and our conversations are always helpful.”
Focused on Her Serve
Andreeva credits her recent success to a sharpened serve, which she worked hard on during the preseason.
“We focused a lot on my serve—jumping more, using my legs better, moving my arms quicker,” she explained. “They’re small changes, but they’ve made a big difference. I used to struggle with my serve because I was shorter when I was younger.”
Inspired by Basketball Greats
Off the court, Andreeva finds inspiration in basketball legends like LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and Michael Jordan.
“Kobe and Jordan have motivated me a lot,” she said. “I haven’t watched the Netflix documentary about Jordan yet, and my team was shocked when I told them. I really want to see it.”
Commenting on Raducanu’s Case
Andreeva also addressed the topic of Emma Raducanu’s harassment incident in Dubai, noting that dealing with negative social media attention is a challenge many players face.
“Sometimes it’s tough when people write things to you online,” she said. “But now I know how to deal with it. As for Emma’s case, I’m not sure if anything has improved, but I do know what happened.”
With her Madrid journey off to a promising start, Andreeva hopes to build on her early momentum and make another deep run in the tournament where her career took off.
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