AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 21, 2026

Mirra Andreeva

Press Conference

M. ANDREEVA/M. Sakkari

6-0, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Mirra, congratulations on the result tonight. Very dominant performance out there. Talk us through your thoughts on the match and how you played.

MIRRA ANDREEVA: Yeah, felt like I started the match really solid. I didn't have a lot of unforced errors. I was playing pretty aggressive, going for my shots. Super happy with how I played today. Happy that it didn't go to three sets 'cause she also stepped into the match and started playing better in the second set.

Just overall happy with my performance.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Are you growing in confidence after the win in Adelaide?

MIRRA ANDREEVA: Yes, I feel like I gained some confidence, especially after Adelaide, winning the title there, going into Melbourne playing a lot of matches, winning those matches.

So yeah, I can say that that win obviously gave me some confidence. I'm trying to keep the level of that mindset and of that confidence, as well, for as long as I can as I'm playing in Melbourne.

Q. You talked about being aggressive tonight. It seemed like you were able to control her movement. Elaborate more on where you get your strategy being aggressive against her.

MIRRA ANDREEVA: Yeah, I mean, obviously we know that Maria is a very aggressive player. She likes to take her forehand. She likes to also take her backhand, as well.

I kind of tried to neutralize her shots on the baseline. I just tried to be solid, but at the same time when I have an opportunity to step in and take an advantage of whatever position I'm in, I would try to do that.

I felt like the plan was working really well. Then I lost my focus a little bit. She also is a human, she started playing better.

Then I felt like in the second set, really had a tough couple of games where it could have gone either way. So about that I'm just happy that it went my way and we didn't have to play the third set.

Q. The first set, first eight games, your level was incredibly high. Is that as high as you can remember in a while? What other times stand out when you were playing that well?

MIRRA ANDREEVA: Well, I think the other time when I remember myself play really well was when I was playing in Cincinnati in 2024, when I lost to Iga 7-5 in the third set. 2024. I remember myself playing really well that tournament. Also I had the same feelings when I was playing French Open, when I lost in semifinals. As well, I was feeling very confident on the court also.

I kind of had the same feelings today. Starting with the warm-up for some reason, I felt like the ball was going pretty well. I was hitting the balls, I don't know how many balls I missed, maybe two or three in, like, 30 minutes. I was like, Wow, this is the best warm-up I've ever had.

I guess it started all with the warm-up. Just like this, I don't know what day was today, but I felt like I was playing really solid.

Q. Mirra, Maria is not Australian, but the Greeks sometimes talk about this slam as their home tournament. There was a lot of Greek support out there. You've had tough experiences with the crowd against you, particularly in the last 12 months. How was it out there tonight? Are you pleased with how you dealt with it? Is that something you've been wanting to work on?

MIRRA ANDREEVA: Yeah, I do think that it was not the worst experience with the fans today. Obviously they were loud, they were supporting a lot for Maria.

When she won those three games in a row, I think she won 11 or 12 points in a row, they really went for it. They really started to be very loud on the court.

There I just kind of thought that it's okay if I lost my focus 'cause I'm also human and I can drop a little bit. Then she also started playing better. I tried really not to focus on the crowd. I really tried to focus on what to do next to come back and not give her the bigger lead in the second set.

I really tried to keep all my focus into the match, not thinking about how loud they are cheering on her or how bad it could be if I lose more points or more games.

I'm happy with how I really put my focus into the match and not outside. Didn't get frustrated on that.

Q. Is that a change from how you've dealt with similar situations in the past?

MIRRA ANDREEVA: Well, I do think there is a change because I think we all seen how I struggled in Paris when I was playing a quarterfinal last year. It was not easy for me, obviously.

Now as I'm learning that this is going to happen almost every tournament that I'm going to go, there are going to be a lot of fans cheering for one or the other player, it's something that I have to learn how to deal with. There is no other way around it.

Now I'm trying to learn new techniques, how not to pay attention to that, how to keep my focus to the match. I think today I did pretty good.

Q. A number of players have switched nationalities from Russia over the last year or so. Have you ever considered that for yourself?

MIRRA ANDREEVA: I didn't even think about it. I heard and I saw also, like, Dasha Kasatkina changed her citizenship. A lot of players have changed. Right now I'm just going to play like this. I didn't have any offers or anything. For now it's just going to be like this.

Q. Is it added pressure, do you think?

MIRRA ANDREEVA: Does it what?

Q. Added pressure playing for a country where you don't have the flag and that sort of things? Are there times where you wish you didn't play for a country that wasn't so political?

MIRRA ANDREEVA: No, for me it doesn't add any pressure. I'm just doing my thing on the court. I focus on how to get better, how to improve as a tennis player. For me it doesn't add any pressure.

Q. I wanted to ask you about your work with Conchita. When you had as great of a start as you did last year, but when things are more difficult, may be easier for a young player to panic. How did you see the big picture with your work with her and see through the tougher times?

MIRRA ANDREEVA: Yeah, I do think we've done a lot of work. We've put in a lot of work, especially on the off-season. Now I kind of start to see the result. I kind of see that what we were working on actually is working on the match, and I use it.

Now, for example, I'm not afraid to use certain shots or techniques or tactics during the matches 'cause that's what we've been working on for some time.

Yeah, I do think before when I was just starting on tour, and she was actually kind of one of my first coaches when I got to the tour, so I do feel like before at some certain moments, like for example today, I would panic, losing three games in a row, 12 points in a row, what is happening, am I going to come back, oh, my God.

But now she's also helped me with that obviously because she keeps telling me, If you ever drop, it's also okay because you're a tennis player, she's a tennis player, things can change very quickly.

I do think and feel the work we're putting on together is paying off. I see the results. Now I can give a lot of credit to Conchita for that (smiling).

Q. When you're playing aggressive tennis, you take the ball early, be on top of the baseline, how much do you actually think about your court positioning during a match or training? How challenging is it to stay on the baseline?

MIRRA ANDREEVA: Yeah, obviously I do pay more attention to that when I'm practicing. I try to be more focused on that when I have practice sessions. Conchita keeps reminding me on that. Sometimes when we're playing points, I tend to go back and kind of get back to my old tennis, let's say. On the practice we do pay more attention to that.

But obviously when I'm playing matches I don't think about techniques or I don't think about where I should be standing. I just think about the game, what I need to do to win. I don't know which shot I have to play in order to win the point.

Obviously sometimes when things are not working, Conchita can tell me some stuff that she would tell me on the practice, like you're too far behind the baseline, I don't know, go closer to the baseline, get into the court, do this, do that.

We think about that more when I'm practicing, not when I'm playing the match.

Q. When you find yourself going back behind the baseline, why is that the case?

MIRRA ANDREEVA: Well, I think it's because before I used to be more of a defensive player since I'm very young. For, like, one year and a half we've been working with Conchita for me taking the initiative. Obviously she knows that I can do it. I also know that I can do it.

It brings more points and more results to my game. So sometimes when I'm nervous or when I get tense, I tend to kind of go back to my old habits. But now I also realize that the game that I've been playing now is working. It brings me a lot of results. I'm forcing myself to, I don't know, be closer to the baseline even when I'm not comfortable being there.

Q. Political, but a Ukrainian player yesterday came out strongly and said the players from Russia and Belarus shouldn't be playing tennis at all. How do you feel when you hear something like that?

MIRRA ANDREEVA: Well, I do think every person has their own opinion. I don't want to judge a player or a person by what they say.

She can have her own opinion and say whatever things she wants.