THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 10, 2023

Mirra Andreeva

Press Conference

M. KEYS/M. Andreeva

3-6, 7-6, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Welcome to the press conference for Mirra Andreeva.

Mirra, give us your thoughts on your experience at Wimbledon this year.

MIRRA ANDREEVA: For me it was amazing experience, as you said. Amazing matches I've played here. First time on grass. I'm happy with my result, but also at the same time I'm sad and disappointed a little bit.

Next year I hope, and I will do my best, to do better.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. What do you think changed in the second set? How did the match turn around?

MIRRA ANDREEVA: Honestly, I just continued playing. You know, this is tennis, it's women's tennis so...

She played well. She played well. I cannot say that I did something wrong. I was just playing. Till 4-All she broke me back. She played well. Yeah, that's why I think she won, because she played better than me today.

So, yes...

Q. At the end of the match you slipped and you lost your racquet but you get the second warning. I saw the replay. Terrible decision. Any thoughts on that?

MIRRA ANDREEVA: For me it's a controversial point because I'm not sure if -- I don't know which decision was right. She's the umpire. She's the one who makes the decision.

But, honestly, I didn't have any intention to throw the racquet. I slid. Honestly, I thought that I will fall forward.

Maybe it did look like I threw the racquet. I don't know. I didn't see any videos yet. But that was her decision to make, so she made this decision. Now that's it. She made the decision, so the match is over now.

Q. That's why you didn't shake the hand with her?

MIRRA ANDREEVA: I mean, yes, because for me, she didn't do a right decision for me. Yes, that's why I didn't want to shake hands to her.

Q. You said after your last match that you'd been working on controlling your emotions on court. I wonder if there have been any specific things you've been doing or talking about with your parents and coaches about how to do that?

MIRRA ANDREEVA: Honestly, I didn't do anything specific. It's kind of simple. I just talked a lot with myself about everything, about the game, about the mental part.

Now I think it's better. Well, I just honestly don't really think about the mental part while I'm on the court, while I'm playing the match. I just think about the game.

That's it.

Q. I know you've spoken this week about how you found your rhythm on grass. It's obviously your first time at Wimbledon. Once the dust has settled, what will be your main takeaways from being here this week?

MIRRA ANDREEVA: Well, it's a lot of positives to take from this week. Obviously it's my first time on grass. I kind of didn't expect to go that far in Wimbledon because first time on grass, I had no experience at all. I passed quallies. It gave me a lot of confidence.

It's a good experience for me, for sure. I hope that next year I will do better here. We will see if I really can.

Q. There's a lot of attention on you because of your age. A lot of is expected of you. Russian tennis history, the likes of Anna Kournikova and Maria Sharapova made their breakthroughs here at Wimbledon. How much of an inspiration have those two players been?

MIRRA ANDREEVA: Honestly, when Sharapova won the Wimbledon, I think she was 16 or 17. I'm not sure. I was not born yet, so... I didn't see this historical moment.

But, of course, it's amazing what they both have done for the tennis. I wish I could see that moment, but I couldn't. So, yeah, that's it.

Q. You just said you talk a lot to yourself. How does it work? Do you sit down and talk to yourself?

MIRRA ANDREEVA: It's kind of strange, but almost every time before I go to sleep, I turn off the lights and I just try to speak to myself just about the day, about everything. That time after French Open, I spoke about the game. It kind of helped me.

I just speak to myself as I would speak to my mom or to my coach, but just to myself without anyone in the room. It works the same. But nobody's listening except for you, so...

Q. A lot of great champions went through their teen years struggling to contain their emotions. Roger has spoken about that. Andy Murray, as well. Did you know that about them as champions, that their teen years were maybe not so simple in terms of managing their emotions? Do you feel like that means you just need more time to get used to being in these really big pressure moments?

MIRRA ANDREEVA: I knew that Federer was struggling with emotions when he was teenager. Actually when I was younger, I saw that, well, he was struggling also. I'm not the only one who also struggles.

I thought that I just need to wait a little bit and it will go away. But it doesn't work like this. You just have to work on yourself. As faster you'll do it, then the results will come also faster, I think.

I started to work on myself just with myself. I think it works pretty good now, yes.

Q. When you turn the lights out tonight and start talking to yourself, will you tell yourself that Madison won that match or that you lost that match?

MIRRA ANDREEVA: I try to not think about it. Of course, I have a lot of thoughts about the result of the match, how it can be. I just try not to think about it.

I was preparing myself for the tough match. I was just trying to play every point. I was just trying to tell myself that it will be tough. If you want to win, you will just have to play every point as in the beginning, as you started the match, one point at a time, then it's the game. We will see who will win.

Q. Were you watching as she lifted the level? She had a lot of unforced errors in the beginning. You had to be aware of that, right?

MIRRA ANDREEVA: Yes. Also had a lot of thoughts that maybe if she's missing now, what if she will not miss after? What will I do?

I think everybody, every player, has a lot of thoughts like this. I just try to not think about it. After she showed some great level, that's why she's the winner today.

I mean, she didn't miss a lot in the second and the third set. I think for sure she played better than in the first. So, yes, that's good for her.

Q. I think everybody here accepts your explanation for the second penalty offense. The first one, do you feel the umpire was right to give you a warning, when you threw the racquet?

MIRRA ANDREEVA: Yes, the first warning I got, I think I deserved it. I threw the racquet, and it's a grass. After that I lost the set. I led in the score a lot. I was a bit frustrated. So that's why I threw the racquet.

For sure here I cannot say anything, she was right to give me a warning. I didn't complain or talk to her about it, so... For me, here she made a right decision.

Q. You've now reached a Wimbledon fourth round, becoming famous in your own right. Do you feel ready to say hello to Andy Murray next time you see him? Also, any plans for the prize money?

MIRRA ANDREEVA: Maybe. Now I guess I will not see him here, but maybe in US Open. If I see him, maybe (smiling). It depends.

We will see. But for now, I don't think I will be ready. Maybe in a couple of months I will be ready to say hello.

Q. The prize money, a lot of prize money, do you have any plans to treat yourself, to buy anything?

MIRRA ANDREEVA: Me, for now, no, I don't have any plans. Everything just goes to my parents and they decide what to do with the money.

Yeah, but most of it I think will go to tennis, to the tickets, to pay for the coaches, for everything. Maybe I will buy something to myself, but I'm not sure yet (smiling).

Q. What are your immediate plans now?

MIRRA ANDREEVA: After this tournament for sure I will take some days off just to relax and not to play tennis. I don't want to play tennis for a few days, for sure.

After I will be back on clay and I will play Lausanne, WTA 250. I will play there. After I think I'll play US Open.

Q. Is this your first time in London?

MIRRA ANDREEVA: No, it not my first time. Maybe I will go in the city today. But I don't think it will happen because I have also a lot of stuff to do here. We will see how my mood will be tonight, if I want to go to the city or not.