Mirra Andreeva treasures LeBron James’ praise after Indian Wells triumph: “I’ll frame it, just like Andy Murray’s tweet”

Mirra Andreeva reflected on the message she received from LeBron James after her victory at Indian Wells. The 17-year-old made a massive leap in her career, winning two consecutive WTA 1000 titles at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships and Indian Wells, racking up 12 straight wins.

After her final in Tennis Paradise against Aryna Sabalenka (2-6, 6-4, 6-3), Andreeva revealed that she had been thinking about an old interview with four-time NBA MVP LeBron James, drawing inspiration from his words for the final.

Read also

Mirra Andreeva achieves another milestone after winning first match at Miami Open

"He was saying that even if you don't play your 100%, or even if you don't feel like you're there 100% physically, I'm going to choose to be 100% mentally," the world No. 6 said. "He said that that's what makes us champions, so I kind of tried to do the same. It didn't really work in the beginning, but with some time, in the end, I managed to overcome that, really tried to go for my shots, and act like one of the legends."

LeBron James himself caught wind of Andreeva’s comments and shared a post on social media — featuring the interview where Andreeva mentioned him — leaving an inspiring message for the teenager:

“Mirra, CONGRATULATIONS!!!!" James wrote. "Happy to have helped but honestly, YOU did THAT!! All your hard work, drive and dedication towards your craft! KEEP GOING!” He signed off with the hashtag #striveforgreatness.

Read also

TV GUIDE ATP and WTA: How to watch Miami Open 2025 including Djokovic, Sabalenka, Swiatek and Andreeva

This time, Andreeva commented on James’ message after her latest match at the Miami Open. She cruised through her opening round, defeating compatriot Veronika Kudermetova 6-0, 6-2, extending her winning streak to 13 matches.

In her on-court interview, Andreeva was asked if she planned to frame James’ message: “I think I’m gonna frame it. I already have Andy Murray’s tweet framed, so I think I’m gonna try to do the same because, you know, it’s always nice to have it close to yourself. I’m gonna frame it, and it’s gonna travel with me all the time.”

Read also

"I do not like to see that" - Mirra Andreeva criticized by Rennae Stubbs for her actions during Indian Wells final against Aryna Sabalenka

The world No. 6 now prepares for her Round of 32 match this Sunday against Amanda Anisimova, champion of the Qatar Open earlier this season. It will be a showdown between the only two players to have lifted WTA 1000 trophies this year.

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Unlock your ultimate tennis experience—subscribe today for exclusive access to top stories.

Subscribe