Mirra Andreeva has grown a great relationship with coach Conchita Martinez in her already very young tennis career. She has achieved a lot already with the Spaniard by her side, but her presence around the 18-year-old may not be the best for her according to former Russian tennis player Elena Dementieva.

The two have been working together since April 8, 2024, after a successful trial period ahead of the clay swing. She would reach a maiden Grand Slam semi-final in the weeks that followed at Roland Garros, showing that the pair were a hit off the start.

More success and trophies have come with this relationship. This includes last year when Andreeva won a brace of WTA 1000 events on the spin, with the Dubai Duty Free Championships and Indian Wells Open titles going her way in an incredible purple patch from the Russian.

She ended 2025 with a blip in form but has got back up to speed quickly, already taking home a title in the Adelaide International over fellow young talent Victoria Mboko as she comes into a crucial time of the 2026 season where those ranking points are in the line.

The former world number three was not jumping on the Andreeva hype train as quickly as some others would have been, pinpointing Martinez as the reason she is not achieving more. “You can probably see the influence of Conchita Martínez here, her coach, because I came up against her on tour myself - I played her, and even though I did win, I remember those matches as pure torture," she said on First&Red via Russian publication Championat.

"It was an endless change of tempo, a constant change of rhythm. You’re just starting to build your attack, and suddenly you’re pushed back on your heels again. It goes on forever. On the left, a cutter; on the right, that loopy half-ball — cutter, loopy half-ball. It was simply very hard to endure. You get absolutely no enjoyment from the game."

While it was a reasonable way to play for Martinez, Dementieva queried why Andreeva was also playing like this, stating the differences between the top players. "In her case, it was justified, because she was a very talented tennis player, a Wimbledon champion. But let’s call things by their proper names: she was never a super athlete. She was never fast, never explosive. She created and played at the tempo that was comfortable for her." She questioned this once more. "So my question is: why does Mirra need this?”

This passive approach is not the way forward according to the two-time Grand Slam finalist who was eager for her fellow Russian to take up a more aggressive style on court, matching some of her fiercest rivals.

"On the contrary, I want her to speed it up. I want her to be more active, to counterattack, to attack," she explained. "I mean, this is the kind of game that will bring her victories in the future."

She responded to other critics calling out Andreeva for her Australian Open last-16 defeat after what was such a promising start to procedures. "It didn't work out in Melbourne. I saw a lot of comments there about how she couldn't win there with that kind of game. I'm just saying that I categorically disagree with the statement that Mirra can't win a Grand Slam with that kind of game, that it was a disaster there."

Dementieva still sees a very highly talented player in Andreeva, but she urges for her to become a more powerful player on court. "I didn't see a disaster. I know she can do it. I see that she can do it. It's just another question that, well, you still need to work on your game, improve it, and having variety in your game is wonderful. But activity hasn't been cancelled out. If we look at the top players, they play very active and very powerful tennis."