Twelve months ago, the Australian Open’s Rod Laver Arena witnessed 15-year-old Mirra Andreeva’s tearful defeat in the girls’ final. Fast forward to the present, and the Russian teenager has not only overcome that heartbreak but delivered a stunning performance in the second round on the same court. Facing the formidable three-time Grand Slam finalist Ons Jabeur, Andreeva exhibited dominance, dismantling her opponent with a resounding 6-0, 6-2 victory in just 54 minutes.
This remarkable turnaround signals the emergence of a potential tennis superstar, underlining Andreeva’s growth and resilience in the sport. As she advances to the third round, where she awaits the winner between Kamilla Rakhimova and Diane Parry, the young Russian’s Australian Open 2024 journey is far from over.
Mirra Andreeva first captured attention in the Australian Open 2023 girls’ final, a hard-fought three-set match that ended in a loss to fellow Russian Alina Korneeva. The defeat left Andreeva inconsolable, with her friend Korneeva providing support in the aftermath.
Reflecting on her progress, Andreeva expressed the impact of the 2023 final on her mindset. “Honestly, after I lost the final, I was just super upset. I didn’t think about anything else,” she revealed in a post-match press conference. “For maybe a week I was just replaying the match in my head, and I was thinking I should have changed this, should have changed that.”
Undeterred by the setback, Andreeva graduated to the senior Grand Slam circuit in 2023, participating in the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open. Notable achievements included reaching the third round at Roland Garros, where she defeated Coco Gauff in the first set, and advancing to the fourth round at Wimbledon by overcoming 10th seed Barbora Krejcikova.
The US Open witnessed Andreeva navigating through the first round before succumbing to Coco Gauff in the second round. Her foray into top-tier competitions also extended to the Madrid Open and China Open, where she reached the fourth round and took a set off world No. 2 Elena Rybakina.
Starting the Australian Open 2024 with a world ranking of 47, Andreeva showcased her prowess by comfortably defeating Bernarda Pera in the first round before her standout performance against Jabeur. The victory against the three-time Grand Slam finalist marked the best match of Andreeva’s career, surprising even herself with the level of tennis she displayed.
As Andreeva’s remarkable journey continues in Melbourne, her current world ranking of 47 is likely to see a significant boost, potentially propelling her into the top 30. The 16-year-old’s rapid ascent and impressive performances indicate that the tennis world has witnessed the arrival of a rising star in Mirra Andreeva.
