ROLAND GARROS

June 1, 2023

Mirra Andreeva

Press Conference

M. ANDREEVA/D. Parry

6-1, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Mirra, you must be very excited to be into the third round here at Roland Garros. Just talk about your emotions you're feeling right now after that win.

MIRRA ANDREEVA: Of course, I'm really excited about that. I cannot say that I didn't expect that. I was fighting for it, and so I did it, and now I'm in the third round.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. It was your first match on a big court. Was it what you expected, too?

MIRRA ANDREEVA: The Simonne Mathieu is not that big for me, so for me it was comfortable. I felt as on any other court.

Of course, I've been prepared that the crowd, like maybe 10% of the crowd will be for me and 90% for her, so I was just trying to stay calm and just focus on my game.

Q. You look very comfortable out on the court in this environment. I just wonder, is there an opponent out there, one of the top players, that you would love to play more than any other and maybe you might feel a bit nervous against if you played them?

MIRRA ANDREEVA: I don't know. I would like to play Ons Jabeur because I like the way she plays, and I think our game is quite, let's say, similar. So I would like to play her.

Q. In terms of your game, if you compare to a year ago, it seems ages because you're clearly not a junior, at junior level anymore. What are the main changes you would say in your game right now?

MIRRA ANDREEVA: I honestly don't feel any changes. I just play, but I think I became more mature, so this is what's more important now for me.

I don't know. You can ask my coaches if I changed my game, but I can say that my mental part became much better, and so that's what is important now.

Q. We know that you are a big Andy Murray fan. Can you tell us why you like and admire Andy so much? Can you tell us a bit about some of the other people you like and admire. And, finally, how does it feel to know that as your career progresses, you will have lots of fans who like and admire you and look forward to meeting you?

MIRRA ANDREEVA: You said "Haddad Maia"?

Q. Yes, appreciate, enjoy.

THE MODERATOR: Admire. Appreciate, fans of you...

MIRRA ANDREEVA: What was the question? I already forgot. (Laughing.)

Q. I will do it nice and simple. You like Andy Murray. Tell us why you like Andy Murray. Tell us why you like some other players. And what will it be like knowing that people will start liking you and become your fans?

MIRRA ANDREEVA: What can I say about Andy Murray? He was just nice. I didn't expect that he would be nice off the court because he always seems, like, so focused and always into himself. So I didn't expect to see him nice, let's say, like open to the people. So he was smiling, and that's what I liked, let's say.

I didn't have a chance to talk to any other sportsmens here, but as I said yesterday, for me Tiafoe, he seems also a nice person, and Coco, she's also nice. For sure Jabeur. I know that she's nice, and she's, like, quite popular because of that. So yes.

Q. And you having fans in the future, how does that make you feel?

MIRRA ANDREEVA: I don't know. Of course, I feel support because people come to see me. They come to support me. I had a couple who came here to support me from Texas, so I really appreciate it. Half of my job, I just try to give them what they want to see, you know, so yes.

Q. Not sure who your opponent will be next, but it could be, I believe, Coco Gauff. First of all, could you tell us a little bit about your interaction with her earlier this tournament, and what do you think that match might be like taking on her here?

MIRRA ANDREEVA: We practiced with her once, so we just played some points as usual practice. I mean, she plays quite aggressive. But the practice and the match is different, so I might also play different. I don't know. Who knows?

So we will -- if she wins, yes, I will play her, and then we will see what will happen, who will play better, yes.

Q. She, like you, had success at a young age at Grand Slam tournaments. What do you think is the most difficult part at your age doing well at tournaments like this?

MIRRA ANDREEVA: Maybe, as my coach says, to not be like diva, like to stay humble all the time. Even though I don't have -- I don't think that I have a lot of success now, you know. I didn't win any tournaments. I just play. It's the third round of Roland Garros I will play.

I didn't catch something, I don't know, incredible things. I didn't do that yet.

I don't know which answer is right for this, but I guess just to stay humble.

Q. I realize this will probably make me and everyone else in the room feel very old, but what is your earliest Roland Garros memory?

MIRRA ANDREEVA: I guess since last year when I met Djokovic in the hall of Suzanne Lenglen. He was going to the locker room, and he was singing a song, so that's what I remember. Like, this is the first memory that comes to my mind. He was preparing before his match. I don't remember against who he played, but he was so relaxed. So I think that's the memory.

Q. Do you have any of watching on TV as a kid?

MIRRA ANDREEVA: Of course. Of course, I was watching him and Roger and Rafa on Roland Garros. It was a dream, of course, to play here and maybe to play on some bigger courts. Today I had an opportunity to play on one of the stadiums, so maybe next round they will put me on Lenglen. Who knows? I will hope. Yes, we will see.

Q. I don't know if you speak French because I think you train in Cannes with your sister. You speak a little French?

MIRRA ANDREEVA: Just a little bit. I can understand, but I cannot speak.

Q. Just a question about what kind of girl you are. Can you say when you start tennis, what are your dreams? Perhaps you have hobbies. I don't know.

MIRRA ANDREEVA: About my hobbies, I don't have any hobbies. I think I'm like a usual teenager. I love to watch some TV series when I have free time. I also have to do my school, but let's be honest, I don't do it sometimes. (Laughing.) Yes, I prefer to watch some TV series instead of it.

I would say that I am nice, I hope, but I don't know how to describe myself. I think I care about other people. That's maybe a good sign. I don't know.

But you just need to talk to me and then you will understand which person I am.

Q. You said you haven't achieved anything yet. Obviously there's a lot of attention on what you have achieved because you're so young, and it is a big achievement, I would say. Is that a measure of the goals that you have? What do you want to achieve in your career? What's the dream, I guess, for you?

MIRRA ANDREEVA: The dream. I know that Djokovic, he did 22 Grand Slams or 23, so I want to go until 25, if it will be possible. I don't know.

But I will just play. For now my goal is to win match by match, to win next match. Then if I win this match, to win next match again. That's it. Just to win match by match.

Q. You said you want to stay humble and not be a diva. As you continue to win, if you continue to win, how do you achieve that? How do you make sure you remain that way? How would you define a diva?

MIRRA ANDREEVA: I guess if I will be a little bit like a diva, my coach will say something to me for sure because he doesn't like that people. So I'm sure I will get some words from him.

I will just be me. I will just be myself, and I'm sure if I will just do my thing, I will just, let's say, stay on the ground. I will not go as a diva.

Q. Are you surprised to have won so easily those two matches into the main draw?

MIRRA ANDREEVA: I cannot say that it was easy matches because Alison, she's also a tricky player. She's a very experienced player. But I had a plan against these two girls, and today was also not an easy match.

We played a lot of games when she had game points. And me also, I had a couple of game points. It's just a game. You know, it happened that I managed to win this a few games that she also had an opportunity to win. So I guess it's just a game that it just happened like this, but for me I cannot say that it was easy matches.

Q. I wanted to ask you, we saw some historic results from Monica Seles, Martina Hingis, Emma Raducanu, who won Grand Slams at young age. Is that one of your dreams? And second question: Is Novak your idol because you speak about him so much?

MIRRA ANDREEVA: Roger, he always been my idol. He's always been my No. 1, but after Roland Garros 2022 when Rafa, he won it, I don't know why, but in my head everything is turned. Now Rafa and Roger, they're in the first place, but I don't want to offend Novak. (Laughing.) So let's say they're three on the first places.

I like the way that he plays. He's counterpunching a lot, and he's a good defender. He's a good mover on the court, so yes, I like the way he plays.