By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Thursday April 27, 2023
The 15-year-old became the seventh youngest player to notch a top 20 win on Thursday in Madrid.
She’ll turn 16 on Saturday in Madrid, but for now, Russia’s Mirra Andreeva – this year’s Australian Open Girls’ Singles runner-up – is the hottest 15-year-old in the women’s game.
The rising World No. 194 has notched wins over Leylah Fernandez and Beatriz Haddad Maia in Madrid to reach the third round.
Let’s get to know her a bit before her third-round clash with either Magda Linette or Marketa Vondrousova.
She’s on a 15-match winning streak
Andreeva won 60k titles at Chiasso and Bellinzona to raise her ranking from outside the Top 300 to 194 earlier this month. She is the only player in ITF World Tennis Tour history to win multiple titles at ITF W60 level or above before turning 16.
She’s racking up big wins in Madrid
The soon to be 16-year-old has knocked off 38th-ranked Leylah Fernandez and 14th-ranked Beatriz Haddad Maia in back-to-back matches at Madrid for her first two WTA-level wins. Andreeva becomes the seventh player under 16 years of age to defeat an opponent ranked in the WTA's top 20 since 2000.
She’s undefeated as a pro in 2023
Having begun her professional journey earlier this month, Andreeva is now 15-0 as a pro. She also won a 60k title in November, and has won 37 of her last 42 pro matches in total.
She’s the current junior No. 3
Andreeva is the third-ranked junior girl, and still plans on playing the junior Slams this year.
Her older sister, Erika, is ranked 114
Erika Andreeva, Mirra’s older sister, was recently given a wild card into the Miami draw, where she reached the second round. She has been having a solid season overall with round of 16 appearances at Lyon and Austin. She qualified for the US Open last year, losing in the first round to Petra Kvitova on her Grand Slam main draw debut.
She’s up to 164 in the live rankings
Andreeva is up 30 spots in the rankings thanks to her two wins in Madrid. Another win would take her inside the Top 150. Roland-Garros qualies are looking likely.
She’s making WTA 1000 history
Andreeva is only the second 15-year-old to defeat a Top 50 opponent (twice achieved this week) at a WTA 1000 tournament, with CiCi Bellis being the first in 2015, defeating Zarina Diyas at the Miami Open.
Her biggest weapon is the backhand
Asked what her favorite shot to hit is by WTA Insider Courtney Nguyen, Andreeva said the following:
"We've been working on my forehand a lot. But for now, I can say that my backhand is my biggest weapon, especially the backhand down the line. Maybe after this, I'll pick my serve because today I did four or five aces. "Here in Madrid, my serve is really good, so I hope it will be like this the whole tournament."