Video - Mirra Andreeva sends heartfelt message to sister Erika following her retirement in sibling clash at Stuttgart Open

Thursday, 17 April 2025 at 04:30

In what could only be described as a very emotional encounter, Mirra Andreeva advanced to the round of 16 at the Stuttgart Open after sister Erika Andreeva was forced to retire mid-match due to injury.

The Andreeva sisters were facing each other in front of a sold-out crowd, with the younger Mirra being the favorite after having an incredible start to the 2025 season. The 17-year old lifted consecutive trophies in Dubai and Indian Wells, before finally falling at the Miami Open. Nonetheless, it was only the second time both sisters had faced each other on the main draw of the WTA tour, with Erika holding a 1-0 lead.

A nagging injury forced the older sister to retire

Although tennis fans were looking forward to an exciting clash between the sisters, it soon became obvious that Erika was struggling with an injury. The older sister dropped the first set 2-6, before retiring after the first game of the second set.

Despite booking her passage to the next round, Mirra was understandably upset at having to see her sister struggle with pain. The Indian Wells champion sent some well-wishes to Erika following the match, expressing how much of an inspiration she was in helping Mirra achieve new heights.

"I mean, we share the same room, so, of course, I knew what she's been going through, and honestly, I have weird emotions," admitted Mirra. "I kind of should be happy that I won the match, but still I'm super sad that it ended like this, but I'm sure that she's going to take her time, and she's going to recover and she's going to come back the strong she can.
"Honestly, I don't think if she would've started playing tennis before me, I don't think I would play that well this fast because she started playing some tournaments that after I didn't have to and she kind of showed me the way. Because of her, it was easier for me to start to play bigger tournaments right away, so of course, if she wouldn't be there, I'm not sure I would be playing this tournament this year."

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"She showed me the way" 🥹💚

Unfortunately, Erika Andreeva is forced to retire due to injury sending Mirra Andreeva into the Round of 16.#PorscheTennis pic.twitter.com/CFEAE8X8FC
— wta (@WTA) April 16, 2025

Arthur Ajayi

Growing up in a household where soccer was king, my earliest memories are filled with chants from packed stadiums and the rhythm of a ball being passed across neighborhood streets. But somewhere along the way, the quiet elegance and raw emotion of tennis pulled me in. What began as a curiosity became a lifelong passion; not just for the sport itself, but for the stories it tells: of grit, of heartbreak, of improbable comebacks and human resilience.

As a tennis writer, I bring the observational lens of someone who didn’t grow up in the sport, but fell in love with it as an outsider; a perspective that lets me see both its technical beauty and its emotional depth. Over the years working with TennisUpToDate, I’ve had the privilege of reaching more than 3.5 million readers worldwide, with one of my features ranking among the site’s top three articles.

With a background in storytelling and a creative mind always searching for meaning beyond the scoreboard, I aim to craft narratives that go deeper than results and rankings. Whether it’s a rising star breaking through or a veteran fighting off Father Time, I try to capture the heartbeat behind the headlines.

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