"We had more legroom": Mirra Andreeva jokes about flight home with Cobolli after Roland Garros

Mirra Andreeva has revealed that she was one of Alexander Zverev's biggest supporters during the Roland Garros men's final, admitting she became so emotionally invested in the match that she felt as though she was competing herself. The comments came just days after the Russian captured her first Grand Slam title in Paris.

The world No. 6 defeated Poland's Maja Chwalinska 6-3, 6-2 to become the youngest Roland Garros women's champion since Monica Seles in 1992. But rather than focusing solely on her own success, Andreeva's latest reflections also offered insight into her support for Zverev and a viral post involving Flavio Cobolli after the tournament.

Andreeva attended the men's final at Roland Garros and later shared a photograph alongside Cobolli while travelling home from Paris. The image, accompanied by the caption "Almost 2 slams in one photo", quickly attracted attention on social media and became one of the lighter moments following the tournament.

Speaking afterwards, the Russian discussed both subjects, explaining why she was backing Zverev and joking about the economy-class flight she shared with the Italian after their respective runs in Paris.

One of the most revealing moments from the interview came when Andreeva was asked about the men's final and whether she had a favourite. The Russian made it clear she was hoping to see Zverev finally lift his maiden Grand Slam trophy.

"To be honest, I was supporting Sasha Zverev," the world No. 6 said to Championat. "We were sitting above Flavio Cobolli's box because it was the only section with five seats in a row, so we went there."

Andreeva said she became increasingly invested as the match unfolded and found herself cheering as intensely as if she were the one competing for the title. "But I was supporting Sasha Zverev. I really wanted him to finally win this Grand Slam. And I think in the end I was so emotional, as if I was playing on the court myself, that I was cheering for him with all my strength. I'm very happy that he managed to do it."

The conversation later turned to the viral photograph of Andreeva and Cobolli travelling together after Roland Garros. The image prompted jokes online after fans noticed that a Grand Slam champion and the men's finalist appeared to be flying economy following their successful campaigns in Paris.

"Yes, but the only thing is that we were sitting in the emergency exit row. We simply had more legroom. That's our reward for such a great tournament."

Although Andreeva arrived in Paris as one of the leading contenders, she admitted she never entered the season convinced that a Grand Slam title would arrive so quickly. The Russian said she actively tried to avoid putting that pressure on herself despite hearing constant discussion about her future prospects.

"The truth is that I wasn't sure the Grand Slam would come this year. I wasn't sure if it would come at all. I tried not to tell myself anything about it, like, 'I have to win a Grand Slam,' because a lot of people were already talking about it. I thought that even if I won one, it wouldn't happen now. Maybe, I don't know, in one or two years."

The teenager also delivered one of the interview's funniest lines when comparing her own expectations to those of Zverev. "There wasn't any moment when I felt: 'Okay, that's it, I'm going to win a Grand Slam this year.' I definitely didn't have the same confidence as Sasha Zverev."

Andreeva also reflected on the emotional aftermath of becoming a Grand Slam champion, admitting that the celebrations lasted far less time than she had expected. While she experienced the rush she had imagined, she was surprised by how quickly her attention returned to everyday training and competition.

"Those incredible emotions, the euphoria, the adrenaline rush, when you win a tournament and realise it's a Grand Slam, everything came together. The only thing I didn't expect was that those emotions would fade so quickly. Now I'm already thinking: 'Well, I have to go back to training in two days...'"

The Russian also revealed that she has not yet decided how to spend her prize money, joking that her biggest challenge may be convincing her parents to approve another addition to her LEGO collection.

"Oh, I don't even know what I want. I think I already have everything. I'm trying to convince my parents to buy me another LEGO set, but they're still reluctant. We'll see. I already have five LEGO sets built, all different."

"If we decide to buy one, I'll go to the store and choose one of the biggest ones so the fun lasts longer."