Mirra Andreeva thanks herself again after Roland Garros win: “I believed I could do this”

Mirra Andreeva thanked herself again after winning her first Roland Garros title on Saturday, repeating a rare and unusual gesture during her Grand Slam trophy speech in Paris. The 19-year-old included the self-directed message alongside traditional acknowledgements following her breakthrough victory on Court Philippe-Chatrier.

That moment came after Andreeva defeated qualifier Maja Chwalinska 6-3, 6-2 in the women’s singles final, securing her first major title in dominant fashion. The result confirmed her status as one of the youngest Roland Garros champions in recent history.

“I want to thank myself for believing in myself, always giving my 100%, even when it’s tough, trying every day to be better as a person and as a player, believing that I can do this, and fighting so many demons inside of me,” she said during the ceremony. “Only I know how tough it was for me and how nervous I was throughout these two weeks, so also thanks to myself for working so hard and giving my best.”

The Russian player barely dropped a set on her way to the French Open final, where she faced qualifier Maja Chwalinska, who had come through qualifying and was attempting once again to produce a major surprise in the tournament. That did not materialise against Andreeva, who, despite being five years younger than her opponent, used her greater experience in big matches and major stages to secure a straightforward win in straight sets.

Andreeva arrived in Paris as the eighth seed, but without the profile of one of the main favourites, operating in the shadow of names such as Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, Iga Swiatek and Elena Rybakina.

However, as the top seeds began to fall, Andreeva emerged as one of the few high-ranked players to navigate the draw without major complications. She dropped only one set in the second round, but from that point onwards did not face significant resistance across the remainder of the tournament.

Her final win against Chwalinska followed the same pattern: a controlled, dominant performance that saw her concede only five games in the championship match. Since losing her first set of the tournament against Marina Bassols Ribera in the second round, Andreeva went on to allow a maximum of three games per set in 11 of her next 12 sets played.

“Congrats to Maja for these amazing three weeks, coming through qualifying, winning so many matches, beating so many great players. Congrats to your team as well, you guys have done an amazing job, amazing work,” she said during the ceremony.

“You're a very tricky opponent, I wouldn't want to play against you one more time. I wish you the best of luck for the rest of the season, and I hope we play many, many more finals together in the future.”

After sealing the victory on Court Philippe-Chatrier, the Russian also addressed the tournament staff, including ball kids, line umpires and chair umpires. “I know it's not easy to be on court with such heat in the first week and a lot of weather changes in the second week, so thank you for doing your best, for giving 100% on court, and helping us feel a little bit better every time.”

Beyond the speech, the result marked a significant milestone in Andreeva’s development on tour. Her victory completed a rapid rise that began with her first Grand Slam qualifying appearance at Roland Garros in 2023, followed by a breakout semifinal run two years ago.

The victory places her in a historically significant group, becoming the youngest women’s champion in Paris since Monica Seles in 1992, when the former world No.1 won the title at 18 years old.

“This tournament is very, very special for me personally. I’ve been watching Roland Garros on TV since I was very young, so it’s also a big dream of mine to win this tournament,” she said, underlining the long-term narrative behind her breakthrough.

Coached by former world No.2 and 2000 Roland Garros finalist Conchita Martínez, Andreeva also acknowledged the influence of her team, highlighting both technical and emotional support throughout the tournament.

“I know I can be a tough cookie sometimes, and it’s pretty hard to put up with me on certain days. Thank you for pushing me to my limits, thank you for making me work even when I don’t want to work,” she stated. “You always push me. Thanks to Conchita especially for sharing her experience and giving me so many advices.”

The most distinctive feature of Andreeva’s trophy ceremony was her decision to publicly acknowledge herself as part of her support system, a move that has now appeared in multiple title wins. “Last but not least, I also want to thank myself for believing in myself, always giving my 100%, even when it’s tough.”

She expanded on the mental dimension of her run in Paris, referencing the internal difficulty of sustaining performance across two weeks of pressure matches. “Only I know how tough it was for me and how nervous I was throughout these two weeks, so also thanks to myself for working so hard and giving my best.”