"It doesn’t matter who I play" – Mirra Andreeva radiates confidence ahead of Elena Rybakina clash

Mirra Andreeva gave Clara Tauson a lesson in Indian Wells and extended her streak on Tour. The Russian teenager was the most recent WTA 1000 champion at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships a few weeks ago, and she doesn't seem to be slowing down in Tennis Paradise.

Andreeva secured her eighth consecutive victory in dominant fashion, dismantling Clara Tauson 6-3, 6-0—a player she had also beaten in the Dubai final. The world No. 11 is brimming with confidence as she moves forward in the tournament. Last week, she took down both Iga Swiatek and Elena Rybakina, and she is now set to face the Kazakh star again in Indian Wells.

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Having broken into the top 10 for the first time following her Dubai triumph, Andreeva remains unfazed by her rapid rise. When asked if she was surprised to have won a WTA 1000 title at just 17, she responded:"Well, I wouldn't say that I really surprised myself. I kind of felt that sooner or later it's going to come, but I just, of course, didn't expect that it's going to be this soon."

"You know, I take it. It's fine. It's better sooner than later," she added. "So yeah, it was a bit surprising, but I just know that everyone in our team, we worked hard for it. And, you know, in the end, as everyone is saying, hard work pays off. So, it's just like this."

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So far in Indian Wells, Andreeva has breezed past Varvara Gracheva (7-5, 6-4) and Tauson (6-3, 6-0), cruising into the round of 16. Up next, she faces 2023 Indian Wells champion and world No. 7 Elena Rybakina on Tuesday.

The 17-year-old remains undeterred by one of the toughest names on the WTA Tour. When asked if she had ever felt this level of confidence before, she recalled: "I think that I felt that during Roland Garros. I was feeling pretty confident during that tournament, and now, as well," said the 2024 French Open semifinalist, who lost to Jasmine Paolini.

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"Yeah, it feels great to win a lot of matches in a row. I cannot complain about that. I have been playing good recently," she added. "You know, it's good. I like it. It just feels that I know exactly what to do on the court. For example, I would say that before, in some tournaments, it depended on the match, but now I just know that when I go out there, it doesn’t matter who I play—the ball is coming to me, and I know what to do."

"I just feel like everything is clear in my head, and I know exactly what to do with the ball. It’s kind of a good feeling, I can say. I hope that I can maintain this for as long as I can."

Andreeva and Rybakina are expected to play in Stadium 1, with the tournament organisers yet to confirm the schedule. The pair have met twice before, splitting wins in two three-set thrillers.

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