ROLAND GARROS

June 6, 2026

Conchita Martinez

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Conchita, congrats. The moment finally arrived today. How proud are you of the work you've done with Mirra to get her to win her first Grand Slam?

CONCHITA MARTINEZ: I'm super proud, to tell you the truth. I mean, I cannot hide it.

It's been quite a long road, I think, with a lot of ups and downs. She's 19. She's learning. She's getting more experience.

But this Roland Garros, she was super focus, behaving super well on court, maintaining her composure. Yeah, I'm super proud of the work and how, yeah, she was open to listening and to doing everything that is needed to win a Grand Slam. So I couldn't be prouder.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Conchita, congratulations. Mirra mentioned she referenced on court your final here with Mary. Does this feel like a sort of personal retribution?

CONCHITA MARTINEZ: Well, I mean, yeah, that was a very tough final to lose, but this feels amazing, to tell you the truth.

Of course, I would have loved to win Roland Garros as a player, but when you quit tennis and you look back at everything that you have achieved, I mean, I'm also super happy about my career.

Then, you know, to have a super career as a coach and, you know, now Mirra winning this Roland Garros was very, very special. Also, Garbine was there. You know, we hug. She was the first one that I won a Grand Slam with. So it was very emotional.

I love this job. I love tennis. It's a passion of mine. So, yeah, I couldn't be happier.

Q. I just want to ask about that long road and the ups and downs and Mirra getting to a point where she's won seven matches in a row, keeping her composure, as you said. There have been moments, not even that long ago, of real tension and frustration from Mirra. Was there ever a time when you doubted that she would get to this point with her composure or doubted that you would be able to be the person to help get her to this point?

CONCHITA MARTINEZ: Not really, because, you know, she's very, very young. And there is, even though she won Roland Garros here, there's still a very long way to go and to continue to learn.

I knew things had to change for her to win big things. Yeah, sometimes I had doubts. Like, I mean, if you don't change something, I mean, you make it extra difficult for yourself.

You know, great kudos to her. Kudos to her for willing to change something, staying open, doing the hard work. You can see, once she does the hard work, I mean, her potential just comes out. She's a natural. She's a great player, so this is a way.

Are we going to see her the whole time like this? I really wish, and I really hope, but I'm sure there's going to be ups and downs.

As long as she can continue to learn and to get better, we need to improve in many -- I mean, she still have a big room for improvement in every department. So I'm super excited for the future.

Q. Did you know before this tournament that that change had happened?

CONCHITA MARTINEZ: This was a work in process during the tournament. I mean, she had a lot of ups and downs during the tournament. She was doing her job at the matches, so she was able to keep her composure some at the beginning of the tournament.

You know, there's always more nerves and things happen you know, maybe emotions come, but I'm glad that she kept it together, and she was, like, working, working, working and was able to -- you know, she has her tools to work on these things. She was able to, you know, to work with them and to finally do it for -- it's not easy, 14 days in a row. It's not easy.

Q. I just want to ask about this opponent today in Chwalinska, because this is a very unexpected opponent probably for a first Grand Slam final. She had nothing to lose. There's not a lot of data or experience that most players have with her. What was it like preparing for this sort of mysterious opponent today in this first Grand Slam final occasion? How did that add to the mental challenge of this day?

CONCHITA MARTINEZ: Yeah, I mean, we tried to keep it cool and to follow the routines. Of course, I'm not going to lie to you. I watch a lot of videos, a lot of matches, a lot of statistics.

It was good that I was able to watch her live in some matches, because sometimes you know how TV is different. I mean, she's very tricky. We all saw it, no, in many matches how players had a tough time playing against her.

It was a combination of being aggressive at staying patient. I think Mirra after the fourth or fifth game started to do better, read a little bit better.

I mean, I prepare her the best I could. There was a lot of information. Yesterday also for the practice I think she was maybe a little bit overwhelmed, but I think, you know, it was my job. Then today it was just warmup, and she was completely prepared.

I think she didn't make a lot of dropshots where in other matches she did better, no? I think the game of Mirra also disturb her a lot. I think she did great.

Q. She said that she was not so easy to work with on daily basis. What's your perception of this comment?

CONCHITA MARTINEZ: Well, sometimes she's not (laughing). Sometimes she's not. I'm not going to lie to you. She's super nice girl, you know, outside of the court or off.

Sometimes in practice she can be a little bit difficult. But you know, when she's open to listen, she's open to, like, you know, breathe and work with her emotions also in practice, because if you don't do in practice, how is it going to work when you play a match?

So, yeah, there is days where it's difficult, you know, and sometimes I had to be --

Q. (Off microphone.)

CONCHITA MARTINEZ: What is difficult? Well, her attitude. Her attitude is difficult. You tell her something, and maybe she's not open to listening and stuff like that.

Yeah, that is a little bit difficult, because I mean, you know, when she works hard and when she listens and she does everything, you know, she has no limits. So sky is the limit.

Q. You said the sky is the limit. Mirra was talking about it being addictive winning Grand Slam titles. Just wondered where you see her kind of going next and whether you think she can and should be regularly kind of winning these and getting to finals.

CONCHITA MARTINEZ: I mean, for me it's a work in process. I've been with her for a couple of years, a little bit more, two years and some months. I think I started in April 2024.

You know, when you win your first Grand Slam, I'm happy that she's, like, more confident. But like I said, there is a lot of things that she can still get better. She still has to develop.

Those are good news, no? You know, we have to stay humble. For me one of the things is to stay humble, be open to work. Nothing is going to come easy, and she stays the way she's been doing for...

I think, I mean, one of the hardest times were after Indian Wells and Miami, and the clay court season has been amazing. She's done really, really good in all of the departments, not because of the results. Then you see the results coming.

For me it's for her to improve and to get better and then bigger things are coming. But yeah, to step in with the feet on the floor.

Q. Even if Mirra seemed to improve, like you said, but she's not No. 1 in the race, and I heard a lot of people said that in term of pure tennis, she's maybe the best player in the world. Do you think she's now ready to become the World No. 1? Is it something that you are aiming for? Is it a goal for you, or do you think it's too soon?

CONCHITA MARTINEZ: For me, like I said, for me every day is a working day, every day is an opportunity to get better at things. When you work good, when you do your job, results will come. The ranking will come.

So, no, there is nothing. There's not something that we have, like, yeah. If it happens, great. If we work day by day and she keeps getting better, I mean, she's an amazing player, and she can continue to grow and continue to get titles and get better at the rankings.

I mean, the ranking will come along.

Q. She mentioned that she had been seeing a psychologist for about a year, year and a half. Is that a situation where you are working with her and you can take care of so many things, but you're not a psychologist, and you sort of feel like you need reinforcements, or you need help from other people who have expertise in another area?

CONCHITA MARTINEZ: For sure. We have an amazing team. You know, I mean, I think I was able to create a very, very good team around her. Not only the psychologist. You know, the fitness coach. Everybody is doing very, very good in their department.

For me it was very important to work on some things that I was seeing that needed work. Yeah, I think it was already in 2024 after Wimbledon where we had a chat, and we are, like, okay, this is time to incorporate another person that is going to be very important for you.

So I think she started right before Australian Open 2025, and it was good. It was good.

And I hope she doesn't ask me anything. You have to do in Spanish, because that was the last question in English. Sorry.

MIRRA ANDREEVA: What is the best thing of working with Mirra Andreeva?

CONCHITA MARTINEZ: The best thing of working with Mirra Andreeva is we get to play UNO, and I always winning. So that's the best thing, when I win, you know, against her in UNO.

MIRRA ANDREEVA: That's it? Have fun.

CONCHITA MARTINEZ: Have fun (laughing). I'm fired.

Q. That's a tough act to follow.

CONCHITA MARTINEZ: Am I fired? Fired (laughing)?

Q. You mentioned that there was a tough moment after Indian Wells and Miami, her first tournament on the clay was Linz, which was a tournament I think you weren't there. I'm just wondering, coaches often say that their role really is to allow the player to kind of not need the coach maybe. I'm just wondering, can you talk about how important that week was for Mirra in her development and when you weren't necessarily there?

CONCHITA MARTINEZ: Yeah, after the, I don't know how you call it, the hard season in Doha, Dubai, Indian Wells, Miami, it wasn't as we would have love to have the results, no?

So I looked at the tournaments, and of course, you know how we often make changes in the calendar. So I saw Linz was a very good opportunity for her to continue to play and a good start to the clay.

You know, I'm doing a lot of weeks, and I have also a life. That was not in the calendar for me, but also, I saw it as an opportunity for her to go there.

Of course, I was on the phone 24/7. Of course, I prepare the matches with her. I give her every day plan that she had.

But, yeah, I mean, it was also, like, okay, I'm not there. You know, now you don't have anybody to blame (laughing). You know, you go there, you play your matches, and think a little bit too.

But, you know, I was in Stuttgart the next week. I've been with her since every week, but yeah, it is a lot of work.

Sometimes I do need a week off. I think it was very good for her. It was a very good decision. That was the beginning of a very good clay court season, and here we are talking about the title.