Mirra Andreeva is into the last 16 of the Brisbane International after winning her opener against Olivia Gadecki.
Sixth seed Andreeva came from behind to beat the Australian 4-6, 6-1, 6-2, and now faces Linda Noskova in the next stage of the Brisbane International.
Andreeva has been named as the player to watch for the 2026 season, which she has entered ranked ninth in the world.
Aged just 18, the Russian teenager is already a three-time WTA champion, and last year won back-to-back WTA 1000 titles in Dubai and Indian Wells.
Who is your favorite player on the WTA Tour right now?
Mirra Andreeva idolises Roger Federer, Serena Williams and Rafa Nadal
Further success is now being eyed at Brisbane, where Andreeva was asked how she handles the obsession around her about only being a success if she wins a Grand Slam.
“I do have the same mindset actually,” she replied. “Obviously for some people, when they say that they had a successful career for them, the successful career was to play healthy or not have any injuries or just to enjoy every match that you play. For someone it’s if I don’t win 10 Grand Slams, I’m a failure or I’m a bad player or whatever.
“For me, I do feel like I have always wanted to be like Roger [Federer], like Serena [Williams], like Rafa [Nadal], because I was looking up to them, and I still do, to be the best player in the world.
“I do put some pressure on myself sometimes, but now I have also learned that if I try to just give my best in every match that I play and at the same time enjoy the moment, then I just realize that I will just play and see what the life will bring to me, and I’m not going to put so much pressure on myself thinking that I have to win a Grand Slam to be a successful player.
“So I kind of decided to think like that this year and see where that brings me, and then we’ll talk about that next year, I guess.”
Who is the most influential tennis player ever?
Mirra Andreeva admits being ‘very down’ despite WTA success
Of course, Federer, Nadal and Williams all won multiple Grand Slam titles during their phenomenal careers, and so they represent fantastic idols.
But Andreeva cannot be expected to hit such huge heights so soon, with the teenager very likely to enjoy a hugely successful career.
She’s already shown fantastic ability and promise, which she has also been tasked with discussing in Brisbane.
Offering the key to her early success, Andreeva suggested: “Yeah, well, I can say that after I won the title in Dubai, and actually probably before the title, I was feeling very down.
“I don’t know what’s the thing with players that win big tournaments, that they always say that before the tournament I was not feeling my best, I was feeling like this is obviously not going to be the tournament that I’m going to win.
“Then I guess by me not expecting much from myself, I started to play well. Then I started to believe in myself, and then that’s how I won the tournament.
“Then after that, I just kind of tried to carry on with the same mindset. You know, until the end of the year, sometimes it works; sometimes it didn’t. That’s why I didn’t win every tournament that I played, obviously.
“Yeah, I’m just trying to kind of play with the mindset of whatever I had in those tournaments that I won, and I think that’s maybe… maybe that’s the key. I have no idea. I’m not experienced enough to say.”
It was an admirable response from Andreeva, who constantly shows maturity beyond her years despite the huge pressure on her shoulders.
The 18-year-old is comfortably the youngest player in the WTA top 10, with world number four Coco Gauff her nearest rival in that regard at the age of 21.
Receive exclusive tennis news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
