Mirra Andreeva has revealed that she watches highlights of the 2017 Australian Open final between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal before every match she plays. The 19-year-old, who won her maiden Grand Slam title at Roland Garros this year, said she uses the iconic clash to get into the right headspace for competition.
A Routine Built on Greatness
Andreeva, ranked world No. 3, made her WTA Finals debut in singles this week. She opened her campaign with a 6-4 6-0 win over Elina Svitolina before defeating Aryna Sabalenka to reach the semi-finals. After her first round-robin match, she appeared on Tennis Channel and was asked about her preparation.
“That’s weird, but I watch Roger Federer highlights against Rafael Nadal, Australian Open final in 2017,” she said with a smile. “I know almost every single point that they’re going to play because I watch it before every single match. It’s kind of like my routine, I want to feel the same… I don’t know, like, when I look at Roger, I want to feel effortless. I want to also seem like nothing is bothering me on the court. So that’s one of the things I do to kind of get my mind to the right place.”
Coached by a Champion
Andreeva is coached by former Wimbledon champion Conchita Martinez. Despite that guidance, she still turns to Federer and Nadal for motivation. She has been a mainstay on the WTA Tour since the age of 15.
Last year, Andreeva narrowly missed out on a place in the eight-player singles field at the WTA Finals, with Elena Rybakina taking the final spot after a strong end-of-season run. She did qualify in doubles alongside Diana Shnaider and was a singles alternate.
A Long Season Paying Off
This year, Andreeva secured her place in the singles field. “Last year, Elena… I’m going to be quiet, I’m not going to say what I actually [think]! No, I’m joking! I’m super, super excited,” she said. “I was very, very close to qualify [last year], but to be able to qualify in doubles was a little preparation for me as well, and I’m super grateful that I was able to qualify in doubles alongside Diana last year.”
She added: “This year, I was really trying to get every single point that I had because I wanted to go to WTA Finals this year, so I really tried to approach every single match like it was the last match of my life in order to really get the points to qualify. So I’m really happy that the long season that I’ve had is paying off a little bit now.”
