Play in Week Two is under way... 16-year-old Mirra Andreeva takes on No.25 seed Madison Keys for a place in the quarter-finals
"I think it will disturb me, all these thoughts": Andreeva shuns Raducanu comparisons in dream Wimbledon run
WTAMonday, 10 July 2023 at 13:34
In reaching the Last 16 at Wimbledon, Mirra Andreeva has gained a legion of new fans but also comparisons and pressure and she aims to emulate Rafael Nadal over her hero Roger Federer.
Only 16, Andreeva was hardly born during Federer, Nadal and Djokovic's main pomp but aims to use the mental psyche of the Spaniard who came back from injury to win the Australian Open and French Open.
She is as of time of writing one set all with Madison Keys in the Last 16 sitting on the edge at one point of a thrashing against the Eastbourne champion.
“I always admire Federer and he was always my favourite player,” she said after her win over Potapova. “But after Nadal won [the] French Open in 2022, I was really impressed because after an injury, he came back, he won the Australian Open, he won French Open.
“After that, I can say that now mental-wise I just try sometimes to copy him. I just try to remember what would he do in these moments, what would he do on the score. Sometimes, yes, I can say that I copy him.”
But one player who she isn't looking to emulate is Emma Raducanu, with of course the narrative surrounding the US Open champion sealing it as an unknown through qualifying potentially exciting the assembled press.
But with the cauldron like pressure exerted on her which saw a downturn in form amid injuries, Andreeva doesn't want to think of the comparisons.
“Of course, in 2021 she did [an] amazing job. Everyone was impressed. I think she was impressed also to pass the quallies and to win the Slam at 18. It’s amazing.
“But me, I just try to not think about it. I think it will disturb me, all these thoughts. I just try to play every match and don’t think how far I have gone already or which round I’m playing, against who I’m playing.
“I just try to play every point. Doesn’t matter against whom. Doesn’t matter which round. I just play my game. I don’t change anything mental-wise, tennis-wise. So, yeah, I’m just playing.”
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