Andreeva is reluctant to give advice to aspiring juniors: “I’m not a star”

The 16-year-old regrets elements of her performance in the round of 16 against Barbora Krejcikova, and says she is in no position to give advice to young juniors.

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Chris Oddo

January 22, 2024

Four Grand Slam apperances, and a stunning debut at each. The Grand Slam career of Mirra Andreeva has kicked off with well-deserved fanfare, as the 16-year-old Russian has managed to find a way to shake up every Grand Slam draw she has ever entered.

A finalist in the junior tournament in Melbourne last year, Andreeva has provided the perfect blueprint for success in making the transition from juniors to pros, but after her 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 loss to No 9-seeded Barbora Krejcikova, the 47th-ranked teen says she is in no place to give advice to aspiring juniors.

“I’m not a star or something like this,” Andreev told reporters in Sunday in Melbourne. “I don’t think it’s right to give some advices from me.”

When told that British junior Hannah Klugman was taking inspiration from Andreeva’s ability to take the step from juniors to pros, Andreeva said that there is no secret. You just have to burn for success.

“I think that eventually everyone is going to be here sooner or late if you really want it,” she said. “If they just, I don’t know, fight for it, eventually they will be here. Maybe not this year, maybe next year, maybe two years later.

“You just go from juniors to pro tournaments. Honestly, I don’t know how to give an advices. I don’t have an experience in this. If they just continue to work. If something doesn’t go the right way, if something doesn’t go how they want it to go, if they just continue to work, eventually they will be here.”

Mirra Andreeva at the 2024 Australian Open

“The first set doesn’t mean that you won the match”

Andreeva exemplified fighting characteristics at the Australian Open, when she rallied from 5-1 down in the final set to defeat Diane Parry in the third round. That win came on match after she blew out No 6 seed Ons Jabeur, who just so happens to be one of her biggest idols, in the second round, 6-0, 6-2.

But the joy of such victories was tempered by the difficulty of Sunday’s round of 16 defeat. After winning the first set against Krejcikova, Andreeva felt she became complacent against a player she had already defeated twice.

“I had a little bit of pressure on myself before the match because I felt like I have an advantage before the match,” she confessed. “I beat her twice before. It’s the round of 16. I can go through to the quarterfinals for the first time.

“After winning the first set, I was like, ‘Okay, I’m almost there.’ But first set doesn’t mean that you won the match. That what happen to me a few times last year.

“I guess I have to learn from it. I will try to, I don’t know, make some conclusions from this match.”

Nevertheless it’s easy to see that Andreeva has a bright future. She’s 9-4 at the majors with two trips to the second week in her first four appearances. Every time she has played the main draw at a Slam, it has taken a Top 20 player to knock her out.

Even a perfectionist like Andreeva could take a step back and be proud of another job well done.

“I think I had a good tournament overall,” she admitted. “I played a fourth round for the second time in my life. I hope it’s not the last.

“There is a lot of positive things to take from this trip. My last match was very great. I have beaten my idol here. Yeah, a lot of positive things to take from this trip and also from today’s match.

“Yeah, will be very looking forward to coming back here next year.”