ROLAND GARROS

June 4, 2026

Mirra Andreeva

Press Conference

M. ANDREEVA/M. Kostyuk

6-1, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Mirra, congratulations. A very solid performance today and into your first Grand Slam final. Just give us your thoughts on the performance of the match today.

MIRRA ANDREEVA: Yeah, a very tough match today for me. I'm very happy with the level that I played with today. Obviously Marta is a very tough opponent to play against. Such an amazing season that she's had on clay so far.

I'm very happy about the win and about the way I played today.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. Against Cirstea, you said you were in the zone. Where were you today? Because it was kind of total tennis.

MIRRA ANDREEVA: Yeah, I felt like today I was also very, very focused on the things that I had to do on the court. Very focused with the game plan that we have prepared with Conchita, very focused on my mindset, on every little thing.

I was also at some point seeing the little hairs on the ball when I was tossing or playing. So, you know, I was really, really focused today and very happy that I was able to keep the focus throughout the whole match.

Yeah, very happy with the win, as well.

Q. It's the second match in a row that in the second set you lead by a break, and then you go, like, down a break and then break immediately again. I feel like those matches could have turned away from you in the past, not so long ago. What changed this tournament, this edition, mentally that you were able to just go back again and win the match straightforwardly?

MIRRA ANDREEVA: I feel like, you know, obviously before I was nervous. Now I'm also nervous when I play matches like this or when I'm up in the score and, you know, I'm serving and the opponent breaks me. Then before I was thinking that, Oh, my God, if I lost my serve, it's like the end of the world.

So I was really focused on, you know, how to hold my serve, how to not get broken, and all my thoughts were about that.

But now I feel like, you know, if she broke me, well, so what? I will try to break her back. I feel like, you know, so far it's been working pretty well, because if I get nervous when I serve, I think she also can get nervous when she serves.

So I'm trying to think about that and not think, Oh, my God, I got broken, end of the world.

Q. (Off microphone.)

MIRRA ANDREEVA: I don't know. Maybe this year. I don't know. It's hard to say, because I don't really keep focused on that. But, I don't know, let's say this year.

Q. Just as an extension of that, we've all seen what a close relationship you have with Conchita, your coach. What sort of conversations have you had over the last year to help you get over some of the issues you have had in those situations?

MIRRA ANDREEVA: Yeah, of course we have been talking a lot. She's been sharing her experience, giving me a lot of advices.

But I still feel like, you know, at some points of my career, I was kind of ready to listen and ready to change or try to work on something new.

But at some points, I was listening, but at the same time, you know, sticking to what I have been doing. So maybe that's why it was also not working every time.

Now I feel like, I don't know, I feel like I completely trust what my team tells me, and now it's easier for me to do. Whatever they tell me, I will just do it.

Also maybe it's easier after to blame them if something doesn't go well. I'm joking, of course. But, I don't know, lately I just feel like I'm able to trust them fully and not doubt anything.

Q. You have played in finals before. Obviously not a Grand Slam final. But are there routines that you like to do ahead of finals? What are they? And what will you do the next 36 hours?

MIRRA ANDREEVA: I would say that obviously there are routines that I'm trying to stick to, but I wouldn't say that I change something or do something extra special because it's the final.

I think that for me personally it's important to do whatever I have been doing, to stick to what I have been doing, no matter what stage of the tournament I'm in or what round I'm going to play.

So I think that we're just going to stick to the routine that I had, you know, practicing before the match, playing Uno, talk about the match, warmup, tape, and then go on court. Nothing's going to change.

Q. We don't know who you're going to play yet, but curious especially what it would be like if you play Diana, because you know each other so well as doubles partners. What will it be like to share the big stage and big opportunity against her? We'll see, she's on the first set still. And then how much of your success in getting to this final should we credit to motivation for you wanting to get every pin possible this week?

MIRRA ANDREEVA: Yeah, of course, I mean, it would be a very, very interesting and very entertaining match if Diana wins, because obviously, you know, we've played this year once, and we know each other so well. She's been playing very well this week also.

You know, we actually had a conversation in Rome after we won the tournament. I'm, like, Okay, we'll see you in Paris. She's like, Yeah, well, Paris, I don't know how I'm going to do. I hate those clay courts.

I'm like, Oh, my God, you're going to do so well. What are you talking about?

Look, she's playing in semis. I don't know. It's very nice. For me, it's very nice to see her play well, and if she joins me in the final, it would be amazing, I think, for both of us.

About the pin, I'm also very excited to see, because, you know, there have been rumors that you can get, I don't know, a special pin if you win, a mystery pin that nobody saw. It's kind of also one of my motivations, as well, to get the very last pin of the tournament.

Q. Obviously you're still so young, but you were at this stage for the first time two years ago. I just wonder, does this feel like it's arrived very early in your career or not?

MIRRA ANDREEVA: Well, I feel like two years ago, obviously when I was playing semifinals, I was very excited. I would say that I didn't believe that, Oh, my God, I'm playing in semifinals. I feel, like, because I had that disbelief that I can actually go on and win more matches.

Also, I don't know, kind of interfered with how I played in the semis. But also, I would say that that year Jasmine just killed me on the court. I didn't think that I had a lot of chances in that match.

Now I feel like, you know, I'm getting closer, I'm getting older, a little bit more mature every match I play, a little bit more experience. So I think that now I'm able to approach every match differently and try to really focus on the opponent that I'm gonna play against and the game plan that I'm going to have to use on the court.

Q. Just to take you back to the match, obviously it was very windy out there today. Marta seemed to be struggling with that quite a bit. You dealt with it really well. Wonder how you felt when the roof started closing in the second set, and if you did have feelings about it, whether that might have been something that would have derailed you earlier in your career but didn't today.

MIRRA ANDREEVA: Yeah, I felt like the conditions obviously were tough for both of us. It was, I don't know, very unpredictable, because with the wind, I felt like it was going in both directions.

I didn't feel, you know, Okay, if I'm playing on this side, the wind is going that way.

I felt like it was constantly changing, and maybe that's why it was hard for her and for me, as well.

But after, when the umpire told me that they're going to close the roof because they're expecting a big shower, like, raining, I was, like, Oh, that's amazing moment. I was 4-1 up. I was, like, Well...

And then I just told myself, Okay, I guess it's better to have roof closed rather than stop the match because of the rain. But I felt like it was not the best moment for me. But, yeah, I just told myself, Okay, they know better. They decided to close the roof. Okay, that's fine.

Obviously I lost those two games after, but, you know, I just tried to stay focused and not think about what happened and really focused on every point that I'm about to play.

Q. Can you imagine that might have played out differently before?

MIRRA ANDREEVA: Maybe. I think that something different could have happened before if I would lose two games in a row like this, losing my serve 2-0, and maybe something different would have happened. But this time I just told myself, Okay, she's also have to serve to confirm the break.

So I felt that it was also a little bit of extra pressure for her. So I just told myself, Okay, forget what happened. Play the next point, and that's it.

Q. If you play Diana, it could be an all-Russian final. There's been a lot of comments from Ukrainian players during this tournament and elsewhere. How do you find that additional scrutiny on you because of your nationality?

MIRRA ANDREEVA: Well, when I play, I really try not to read anything, not to watch anything, not to listen to anything when I play the tournament, you know.

You maybe don't know, but we're so very busy with what we do. Every day is, like, super, super busy with, you know, the practicing, warmups, recovery, cooldown, by the time I get to the hotel, treatment, and then it's, like, 7:00 p.m. So all I'm trying to focus on is playing my match, doing my routine, and that's it.

That's all I do when I play the tournament.

Q. Could you now describe the challenge of potentially facing Maja Chwalinska, who you have never met on tour?

MIRRA ANDREEVA: Yeah, I've never played against her. Obviously she's been playing amazing these two weeks. Like three weeks for her, right, because she passed through quallies. She's been playing unbelievable.

Obviously whoever wins -- I mean, if she wins this match, it's going to be, as I said, very entertaining, very interesting, as well, because obviously I have never played against her. It's going to be a new match for both of us.

I don't really know how she plays. I don't really know her game style. So, you know, we'll see whoever wins this match. Then we'll just try to prepare for the final the best we can.

Q. If someone had said to you two weeks ago that you would be in the final of the French Open, what would you have said? Because you weren't, perhaps, considered amongst the favorites. Did you deep down within yourself believe that you could get to the final?

MIRRA ANDREEVA: Well, I would say that before the tournament started, obviously I was like, Well, that would be great if I get to the final. I don't know. I was not really kind of focused on that in the beginning of the tournament.

I felt like this week in particular I was just really trying to win every match that I was playing. I tried to focus on every match that I was playing, you know, doing everything I can.

But, yeah, I would probably say, Well, that would be great, but I don't know if that would happen, me being in the final.

If you would tell me that in the beginning of the tournament, I would be like, Okay, well, I don't mind. Maybe I wouldn't really believe it.

Q. When you start tennis in Siberia, were you thinking when you were playing your first balls, I can be in the Grand Slam finals, I can win a Grand Slam tournament?

MIRRA ANDREEVA: Well, I never actually thought that I would be able to win, I don't know, big tournaments or be in a Grand Slam finals. It was just all my dreams, everything that I have been dreaming of.

I would say that this is -- I don't know how other tennis players think about it, but for me, personally, it's like the No. 1 goal in my life, the most important thing, the No. 1 dream also. You know, I would not think that I would be very close to that.

But now, you know, I am, so it's kind of -- I'm very excited, very happy about it. But at that time, I wouldn't think that it would happen.

Q. During today, you have been talking a lot about how you have learned from previous experiences and things that have happened over the past few years of your career. How experienced do you feel in general? You're still young, but it seems like you have a lot to draw upon in terms of the matches you have played and won and lost.

MIRRA ANDREEVA: Yeah, I'm so sorry, I didn't listen to your question at all. I'm so sorry.

Q. How experienced do you feel, in general? Obviously you have a lot to draw upon, even though you're so young. Secondly, do you have the crystal paintings with you here?

MIRRA ANDREEVA: Well, I'm going to answer the second question. I finished my painting. I was supposed to do our dog Rassy, so I finished it. Now I don't know what I'm going to do. I'm going to have to figure something out, what to do with my free time.

But, you know, about feeling more experienced, I would say that I kind of feel a little bit more experienced, but, you know, at the same time, I feel like there is a lot of experience that I can gain from a lot of different matches, a lot of different wins and losses, as well.

But I definitely feel more experienced comparing to last year.

Q. You will play your first final Grand Slam in Paris. Could you explain what are your links with France and what you like the most about France?

MIRRA ANDREEVA: Well, first of all, if we talk about this tournament, I love the atmosphere, the clay courts, the food, as well. I also like that, you know, every time we come here, there are the same people that are working here.

It kind of feels a little bit more cozy, because obviously you know almost everyone that works here, and that makes the tournament and makes the time that I spend here more comfortable.

I don't know. Just I really like to walk around the city, to go into those little restaurants on the street. I also speak a little bit of French, so I try to sometimes talk to people in French.

So, I don't know, just a lot of different little things.

Q. You just said you could see the individual hairs on the ball today. Could you just expand a bit on that visualization technique? Is it something you work on off the courts, and if so, why and how it helps you?

MIRRA ANDREEVA: Yeah, well, obviously I have been trying to work on me being more calm, more positive. I'm very focused, and I felt like, you know, recently I have been trying to do a lot of different stuff.

Maybe now I have found what's been working very well for me, and I'm really trying to stick to that and, you know, do it every match that I play every time.

I don't know. I feel like so far it's been working very well. As I said, I was so focused that I could see those hairs on the ball, but, you know, one thing is when you see the hairs on the ball for a couple of points, and the other thing when you're able to do it throughout the whole match.

I felt like today was, you know, one of those matches where I was focused throughout the whole time. So I'm super happy to see the result and, you know, the work that we have been doing paying off.