"Maybe the rivalry is a little bit there but she is leading ... unfortunately ... for now" - Andreeva comments on brewing rivalry between her and Sabalenka

Mirra Andreeva has emerged as one of the brightest young talents on the WTA Tour. The 18-year-old is already a firm fixture in the top 10 in the world whilst having two WTA 1000 titles to her name. One of them was won against world number one Aryna Sabalenka, a rivalry that she is set to blossom int he future.

Andreeva had an up and down 2025. Those two 1000 triumphs came at the start of the year in the Qatar Open and Indian Wells Open. She also made a brace of Grand Slam quarter-finals at Roland Garros and Wimbledon. However, a drop-off in form saw her miss out on qualifying for the WTA Finals, and will have to wait just a bit longer before she can make her debut in the event.

The four-time Grand Slam champion is already a few steps ahead of the young Russian. Sabalenka has got the better of Andreeva four times in their six meetings. The two wins Andreeva did pick up were enormous. She overcame her in the 2024 Roland Garros quarter-final as she made a maiden major semi-final, before a year later she defeated her in the final of the Indian Wells Open.

"She beat me four times already and I (have won) two. Maybe the rivalry is a little bit there but she is leading ... unfortunately ... for now," Andreeva said. "I think we are going to have a lot of great matches in the future. Obviously I am going to have to beat some of the top players if I want to win titles. You beat them once or twice and then you get to know them better. In the end that is who you are going to play against during your whole career."

That title win at Indian Wells was very special for her. Not only lifting the title, but defeating the best player on the WTA Tour to clinch it. "That gave me a lot of confidence" she admitted. "Winning Indian Wells is a milestone of my career so far. To win the tournament and beat the No.1 player in the world is very memorable for me."

Seven of the top 10 in the world are set to compete in the Brisbane International. Andreeva and Sabalenka are among them to complete a stacked field for the tournament. It is an event she has played at before, and is looking forward to making a return to kick off her 2026 tennis season.

"I love Brisbane and I love this tournament," she said. "I am always super-excited to come here because it is the first tournament of the year and it is held at such a nice place. I have done the quarters, semis and I have to deliver better this year. That is what I am going to try to do."

While in Australia, Andreeva has turned her attention away from tennis, for at least a little bit. She had the chance to visit Brisbane's Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary where she had a special bond with a particular Koala named Caesar. "He was such a handsome boy," she smiled. "I think that's a must-do when you are in Australia, to see the koalas and have some experience patting them and getting to know the animal a bit better. It was a really nice experience for me."

She has already featured in the Macau Tennis Masters, an exhibition event where she competed against fellow young talent Alexandra Eala. This, along with the Brisbane International, is great preparation for the first Grand Slam of the year. "It is great preparation for the Australian Open. There couldn't be a better first tournament for me," she said.

However, she was not going to let slip her overall goal for 2026 and the future in tennis. "I am going to keep it to myself for now. I hope when I achieve it, I will share it with you guys," she concluded.