ROLAND GARROS

May 23, 2025

Mirra Andreeva

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Mirra, welcome back to Roland Garros. How have your preparations been so far here in Paris?

MIRRA ANDREEVA: Yeah, I'm super excited to be back. The practices and everything is going good so far. I just can't wait to start the tournament. Yeah, I'm super excited to be back in Paris and can't wait to start.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. You're often playing singles and doubles in big tournaments. Usually players complain about how packed the schedule is. You're still young, but you choose to play both competitions. What kind of benefits could you draw out of this? Does it help you when you play doubles, does it help you in your singles match?

MIRRA ANDREEVA: Yeah, I feel like with playing doubles, I also improve. I kind of know what to do better. I feel myself more comfortable like at the net or, I don't know, with some tricky shots on the court when I play singles. So I think that doubles, it helps me a lot.

And yeah, of course I have dealt with a little bit difficulties with the schedule, but if I decide to play singles and doubles, then I have to be ready for it.

So I kind of play doubles at my own risk, but I love it. So far I'm just gonna play singles and doubles on every big tournament, like 1000s and slams.

Q. You have lived here in this country for a while. How French do you feel? Is there a French version of your personality that comes out in a certain way? How does it show itself, if there is?

MIRRA ANDREEVA: That's actually an interesting question. I think that maybe if I would have lived here a little longer, maybe yes, but I feel like I didn't spend a lot of time really to kind of create a French Mirra. So, I don't know.

I feel like all the time I'm still the same me, maybe just, yeah, maybe when I'm just with my family or parents, I can be a little bit more relaxed and kind of a little bit more myself.

But most of the time, it's just same old me. Doesn't matter where I am.

Q. What memory do you have from the last summer when you won the silver medal in the Olympics here?

MIRRA ANDREEVA: Yeah, when I came here and my first practice was with Diana, so we came here and I think our first thought was it's like we never left. The time passed super quickly, and the memories are amazing. My first practice was with her, and we just kind of had some flashbacks practicing on Philippe Chatrier Court.

Yeah, the memories were great, and I always remember the time with a smile on my face. I think that it was a great experience for us. Yeah, I just, I can't wait for the next Olympics but we have to wait what, like four years now? We just have to kind of, I guess, take it slowly, and then we'll see.

Q. Obviously you have had so much success in the last 12 months and your ranking is where it is, and you're kind of coming into this slam maybe not as a favorite but in a different part of the conversation to ever before. Have you noticed any difference in sort of how players are with you backstage or in the locker room or behind the scenes, or who you practice with, that kind of thing? Do you feel that difference?

MIRRA ANDREEVA: Maybe a little (smiling). I start to notice that a lot of people call me by my name, not just like Hey, how are you. They say, Hey, Mirra. So I feel -- it feels nice (smiling).

I feel like a lot more players kind of, not recognize me, but they get to know me more, as well. So I also get to kind of meet new people and talk to new people, as well. It's just nice to, yeah, to meet new people.

And then sometimes maybe I didn't expect from -- I'm not going to say names -- but sometimes I just didn't expect people to come and just kind of have a chitchat with me or just ask how I am and all this stuff.

So it's nice that people, you know, they get to know me more, and I also start to get to know more people, as well.

Q. You have beaten so many of the best players in the world. I wanted to ask you about one that I think you haven't beaten yet, which is Coco. I'm curious about what is it about her game that you find especially difficult, a lot of people find playing Coco difficult, but given that you have beaten Aryna and Iga, curious what it is, the problems she causes you.

MIRRA ANDREEVA: Yeah, I can say that obviously Coco, she's very, very athletic. So it's kind of tough to finish the point playing aggressive against her, because I feel like she's always there, and she's always running for every ball and she always tries to put one more ball back in the court.

So, well, it's not a nice feeling when you play against someone who runs for every ball, but I feel like she has a great mental part. I feel like she's always fighting until the end and fighting for every point. So that kind of, I don't know -- well, kind of all the players fight until the last point, but I feel like she tries to put a lot of pressure on the opponent. Yeah, her backhand also is super good. Her serve is great.

So it's just she's a great player. I mean, she's won a slam. So yeah, she's tough to face. But when I will get a chance to face her again, I guess I will just have to accept it and -- oh, my God, why do I keep touching the microphone (smiling)? -- I would just accept it and go for it on our next match.

Q. Your doubles partner was confronted with a hostile environment in Rome. What's your experience with the French public? Sometimes in the French Open, the French public doesn't have a great reputation for foreign players.

MIRRA ANDREEVA: Yeah, last year I played against a French player, and obviously I expected that, you know, things would be one-sided. So I just knew that, and I expected, you know, the people to obviously support the French player.

So, you know, I feel like for me personally when you kind of accept it and you know that there is nothing you can do about it, you just try to keep your emotions down, maybe not to try not to kind of argue with your team or umpire or just kind of be calm. But of course you can show emotions like, I don't know, supporting yourself, screaming, Come on, or whatever.

It's not really an advantage for you if you do something towards the crowd, because I feel like after, they're just going to eat you and you're going to feel super under pressure. Yeah, that's how it feels.