"She hit the wall": Former Serena Williams' coach explains Mirra Andreeva’s Miami Open collapse

Thursday, 27 March 2025 at 22:00

Rennae Stubbs analysed Mirra Andreeva’s surprising defeat at the Miami Open, which ended her 13-match winning streak. The 17-year-old had secured back-to-back titles at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships and Indian Wells—her first two WTA 1000 trophies.

After a dominant opening-round win over Veronika Kudermetova in Miami, it seemed Andreeva was ready for another deep run. However, she stumbled against 17th seed Amanda Anisimova, the Qatar Open champion from a few months ago, who edged out a tight match 7-6(5), 2-6, 6-3.

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Former Serena Williams coach Rennae Stubbs discussed the Russian’s performance and mentality during the match on her podcast: "There was no doubt she hit the wall in that match. I know she was not feeling well before the match, so she went on the court maybe not feeling good, hence her attitude. Having the trainer come out at 2-1 in the first set is highly unusual.

“But I will give her credit as a 17-year-old. She hung in there when she could have given up after losing the first set, and then it looked like she was going to lose the match,” she added. “But Anisimova turned it around in the third set and started hitting winners from all over the place.”

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“But Andreeva certainly showed her age in the fact that she hit the wall. Mentally, she acted like Mirra Andreeva from two years ago. Mum left the box, Conchi had lost all control of herself. It was just like, ‘f— everybody, I hate everything, I hate being out here.’”

Despite her singles exit, Andreeva remains in the doubles main draw alongside her usual partner Diana Shnaider, with whom she won a silver medal at the Olympic Games. The pair have already reached the semifinals, where they will face the Asian duo of Jiang Xinyu and Wu Fang-hsien.

Match Statistics Anisimova vs. Andreeva

Anisimova	VS	Andreeva
	Service
1	Aces	8
7	Double Faults	7
63% (73/116)	1st Service Percentage	60% (73/122)
58% (42/73)	1st Service Points Won	66% (48/73)
56% (24/43)	2nd Service Points Won	43% (21/49)
75% (12/16)	Break Points Saved	56% (5/9)
71% (10/14)	Service Games	73% (11/15)
	Return
34% (25/73)	1st Return Points Won	42% (31/73)
57% (28/49)	2nd Return Points Won	44% (19/43)
-	Break Points Saved	-
	Other
2h 51m	Match Duration	2h 51m

Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist

Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.

His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.

In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.

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