Wonderkid: Russian teen Mirra Andreeva uses Rafa Nadal as role model, reaches Round 4

LONDON, July 9

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Schoolgirl and tennis prodigy Mirra Andreeva is modelling herself on Rafa Nadal for mental toughness and resilience.

The 16-year-old Russian, who beat compatriot and 22nd seed Anastasia Potapova to reach the Wimbledon fourth round today, said she had been working on the psychological side of her game and the 22-time Grand Slam winner was an example to follow.

“After Nadal, he won the French Open in 2022. I was really impressed because after an injury, he came back, he won the Australian Open, he won the French Open,” she said. “After that, I can say that now mental-wise I just try sometimes to copy him.”

Andreeva handled her press conference just as she handled former junior champion Potapova in her 6-2 7-5 victory with confidence and an apparent maturity beyond her years.

The teenager, who is now based in Cannes in the south of France with her older sister Erika, also a tennis professional, sidestepped questions about support from Russia that might verge on the political or controversial.

She diverted the answer into talking of support she received from her family and local people in her hometown of Krasnoyarsk who were posting stories about her success on social media.

Andreeva reached the third round at the French Open last month in her first main draw appearance at a Grand Slam before losing in three sets to former teenage prodigy Coco Gauff. After that she said she had a long talk with herself, reflecting on her approach to the game. “Just in my head I realised some things. I took some decisions that I think are now important for me. I think I did a good job because now everything is working so far,” she said.

Andreeva, who meets American 25th seed Madison Keys in the next round, said she separates her work on court from life away from it.

“Actually I think I’m just a normal teenager, like normal girl. I do, I think, everything that the girls my age do … I have to do my school. I have no choice. I have to suffer for two more years…” she said.

“On the court I try to think only about tennis, about the game, about the next point. But outside the court I’m different.” Reuters

DAY 7: HIGHLIGHTS

Bad day for Indians

The Indian doubles pair of Yuki Bhambri and Saketh Myneni put up a valiant fight before going down 4-6 6-4 4-6 to Alejandro Davidovich Fokina of Spain and Adrian Mannarino of France in the first round. The Indian challenge ended in the mixed doubles after sixth seeds Rohan Bopanna and Gabriela Dabrowski lost 7-6(5) 3-6 4-6 to the 2019 champions Ivan Dodig and Latisha Chan.

Dhamne in 2nd round

Manas Dhamne moved into the second round of the boys’ singles with a straight-set victory over 47th-ranked Hayden Jones. Dhamne, 15, defeated the 16-year-old from Australia 6-2 6-4.

SINNER IN QUARTERS

Italian eighth seed Jannik Sinner claimed a 7-6(4) 6-4 6-3 win over Colombia’s Daniel Elahi Galan to reach the quarterfinals for the second year in a row.

RUBLEV MADE TO FIGHT

Russian seventh seed Andrey Rublev worked overtime to reach the quarterfinals with a 7-5 6-3 6-7(6) 6-7(5) 6-4 victory over Kazakh 23rd seed Alexander Bublik.

SHAPOVALOV STUNNED

Russian Roman Safiullin rallied from a set down to claim a stunning 3-6 6-3 6-1 6-3 win over Canada’s 26th seed Denis Shapovalov and reach the quarterfinals.

PEGULA SAILS

Fourth-seeded American Jessica Pegula beat Ukraine’s Lesia Tsurenko 6-1 6-3 in the fourth round to set up a quarterfinal clash against Marketa Vondrousova, who beat Marie Bouzkova 2-6 6-4 6-3.