Many names could have been mentioned in the WTA’s season-opening social media video.
Who will reach their first major final in 2025? Who will break into the top 10? Who will triumph at their first 1000-level tournament?
However, one name was repeatedly spoken by the players in the clip: Mirra Andreeva.
Ons Jabeur, a three-time Grand Slam finalist, mentioned her several times. ‘Everything is Mirra,’ she commented.
Even Andreeva herself, at 17, couldn’t resist acknowledging the buzz around her: ‘I want to say myself,’ she said with a smile, when asked about who would win their first 1000-level event. ‘I will do everything I can to make it happen.’
Approximately seven weeks later, Andreeva fulfilled her bold prediction. She secured the victory in Dubai, becoming the youngest player to win a 1000-level title – the most significant after a Grand Slam and the year-end WTA Finals. Subsequently, she entered the top 10, achieving a career-high ranking of No. 9.
The momentum of the young Russian hasn’t slowed down. On Tuesday, Andreeva became the youngest player since 2009 to reach the quarterfinals of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, defeating 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina 6-1, 6-2 in just over an hour.
‘This is exactly where I aimed to be, but I didn’t expect it to happen so quickly,’ Andreeva shared with ESPN last week from the player’s lounge at Indian Wells. ‘Last year, I played here and lost in the first round, then faced some health issues and had to withdraw from Miami. I didn’t imagine that a year later, I would win the biggest title of my career… When I won in Dubai, I was ecstatic.’
‘During the press conference after my win, when they informed me that I had already reached the top 10, I was surprised. It was a goal for this year, but I anticipated achieving it around October or November, towards the end of the year. But it was February, and I was already in the top 10. I realized I needed to set new goals.’
While Andreeva mentioned that questions about her new goals have been constant since her Dubai victory, this isn’t new. Neither is the praise or the high expectations regarding her future. Andreeva demonstrated her ability to compete with the world’s best in one of her initial WTA events.
Receiving a wild card for the 2023 Madrid Open, a 15-year-old Andreeva stunned the tennis community with an impressive run to the fourth round, defeating Leylah Fernandez, Beatriz Haddad Maia, and Magda Linette, and achieving several ‘youngest ever’ milestones. With her fearless play and engaging interviews, Andreeva formally introduced herself to tennis. Comparisons to other young stars like Coco Gauff, then 19, immediately followed.
She quickly proved that her Madrid performance wasn’t a fluke, reaching the third round at the French Open (losing to eventual finalist Gauff in three sets) and becoming the youngest player since Gauff to reach the fourth round at Wimbledon. By the end of the season, she had entered the top 50. Expectations were high, and the spotlight was intense, but Andreeva remained composed.
‘Of course, it’s pleasant when people talk about you, and unpleasant when the talk is negative, but it’s inevitable,’ Andreeva said. ‘You’ll experience both positive and negative feedback. You have to accept that, it’s going to happen whether you like it or not.’
Andreeva elevated her game in 2024, reaching her first major semifinal at the French Open, winning her first WTA title at the Iasi Open in July, and securing an Olympic silver medal in doubles with Diana Shnaider as neutral athletes. She finished the year ranked No. 16.
She began collaborating with former Wimbledon champion Conchita Martínez last season, and they developed a preseason plan for Andreeva to continue her progress and break into the top 10 in 2025. While close, she needed to replicate her success in the new season. A challenging task with many talented players competing for titles and ranking points weekly.
However, Andreeva wasted no time. In the first tournament of the year in Brisbane, she reached the singles semifinals and won the doubles title with Shnaider. She reached the fourth round at the Australian Open and the doubles semifinals in both Melbourne and Qatar.
In Dubai, focusing solely on singles due to a missed doubles sign-in deadline, Andreeva had her most remarkable run. She defeated three major champions – Marketa Vondrousova in the Round of 32, Iga Swiatek in the quarterfinals, and Rybakina in the semifinals – on her path to the final. In the final, she overcame a tough first set to defeat Clara Tauson 7-6 (1), 6-1.
‘Initially, it was pure adrenaline, then I felt a sense of euphoria, it felt unreal,’ Andreeva told ESPN. ‘But then I realized I had actually won the tournament, and I cherished the moments with my team.’
Andreeva’s victory speech, where she thanked herself for ‘never quitting and always believing,’ went viral.
The team, including Martinez, celebrated with dinner. They discussed the match, nerves, and Martinez’s pride in Andreeva. Then, Andreeva returned to work, understanding Dubai was a milestone but not wanting to overemphasize it.
‘When I was younger, winning a tournament meant celebrating with dinner and a soda,’ Andreeva recalled. ‘Now, like then, I know celebrations last a day or two, then it’s back to practice for the next tournament. That’s what we love about tennis – win or lose, there’s always next week and a chance to win.’
Following her Indian Wells win against Rybakina, Andreeva has won nine consecutive matches and is 16-3 this season. She has impressed many peers.
‘Her achievements at such a young age are incredible,’ said world No. 4 Jessica Pegula last week. ‘She’s going to win many tournaments and matches for the next decade… She’s tall, moves well, serves well for her age, and has great court sense and competitiveness. Many innate qualities are already strong, and she’ll only improve.’
Andreeva, turning 18 in April, will next face Elina Svitolina in the quarterfinals at Indian Wells. This is a significant moment as Svitolina was one of the first WTA players Andreeva watched live at the 2021 US Open. That experience was transformative.
‘Watching their match made me think, “Yes, I’m going to play here one day,”‘ she told reporters. ‘[I thought] “Okay, I don’t know who with, but I’m playing on this stadium.” It was Louis Armstrong Stadium, and I was determined to play there.’
This will be their first match. Regarding Svitolina’s refusal to shake hands with Russian players, Andreeva said, ‘It’s not easy, but I’ve played Ukrainian players before. I focus on my game, routines, and prepare for a challenging match.’
Calling Svitolina a ‘fighter,’ Andreeva trusts Martinez to prepare her for the match and its ‘small details.’ After her late Tuesday match, Andreeva was glad to have Wednesday to rest and relax at her hotel.
Before the tournament, she hoped to visit outlet stores and complete schoolwork. Nearing high school graduation, she needs to pass exams in math, geography, Russian, and English. She’s slightly worried but excited to finish.
Her next tennis goal? Top 5, mainly because it’s the first thing she thought of. Winning Indian Wells could put her close, and it’s within reach soon. Beyond that, she’s unsure but eager to discover.
‘Honestly, I haven’t thought past this season,’ she said. ‘Every player wants titles, Slams, No. 1. I want to be remembered as a great player who always fights and never gives up. But I don’t know where I’ll be in five years. It feels distant.’
‘I’m just taking it week by week.’
