US OPEN

September 7, 2026

Mirra Andreeva

Press Conference

M. ANDREEVA/A. Potapova

5-7, 6-4, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Congratulations. Come-from-behind, impressive three-set win. You move on. Your thoughts?

MIRRA ANDREEVA: Yeah, I mean, for sure it was not an easy match. I know Nastya for a very long time, and we always have great battles against each other. Yeah, I'm pretty happy with how I stayed in the fight. Also, you know, it's not the perfect end to the match, as well.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. What adjustments do you feel like you made in the middle of the second set to start turning that match around?

MIRRA ANDREEVA: Well, I felt like in the first set, I still kind of had my opportunities a little bit here and there. I don't know. In the beginning, I felt like, you know, the wind and the shade from the roof, I just felt a little bit off. And then, you know, she played great, as well.

So the first set went in her favor, but in the second set, I just tried to really be more aggressive, to really try and dictate more, because I felt she was the one doing it more in the first set.

So I tried to turn it around a little bit and then also to mix it up, break the rhythm a little bit as well, because she's a great hitter. I feel like she likes when the ball comes fast to her, because she handles it pretty well.

I just tried to, I don't know, have a mix of being aggressive, but at the same time, breaking the rhythm, and I felt like that worked.

Me and Conchita after, we decided to leave this for the third set, and my plan was like this.

Q. Going back to when Anastasia obviously, you know, fell towards the end of the third set, you mentioned that you guys are good friends. When did you first become friends on tour, and how do you think that friendship has evolved over the course of your time on tour?

MIRRA ANDREEVA: Well, I remember first time that I kind of saw her, it was in Monastir, it was a 250, and I had a wildcard and I was playing her in the first round.

For me, Nastya, she was always like a prodigy. You know, she came on tour early. She also had a lot of wins. I also remember we were all watching and cheering for her when she won juniors Wimbledon title. I remember watching that match. For me, she was always, like, a little star that I was kind of, you know, always looking at.

First, you know, she just beat me. So after, I just kind of knew that she's a tough player to play, but at the same time, she was so nice. You know, she said a lot of nice words.

Then since then we would practice together, you know. And just like that, the more you see each other, the more you spend time together, then, you know, you just talk about everything, discuss everything.

Then just like that, you know, I feel like we have a good connection off the court.

Q. We don't know for sure who you're playing next match since they haven't played yet. If it's okay, I'd like to ask you first about Coco. You've played her several times, but four of the five times were on clay. Judging by your face, you remember those matches. What, for you, is the biggest challenge in playing Coco, and what do you anticipate?

MIRRA ANDREEVA: Well, I mean, I think we all know that Coco is a great fighter, so I feel like not one point is going to be easy if I play her.

So, you know, no matter what's going to happen, the match is going to be tough. And, I mean, I think she's now also improving even more. You know, her serve is better.

I feel like she tries to -- I was watching a little bit of how she was playing earlier in the tournament. I felt like she was trying to go into the net a little bit more, you know, trying to be more aggressive.

So of course, I mean, it's not going to be easy if I play her. Also, you know, with the home crowd, of course it's going to be a tough match.

So if she wins, we'll also try to prepare our best to, you know, to show a good level of tennis and for me to try to, you know, play my best and hopefully, you know, get the result that I want.

Q. And by contrast, you haven't played Iva yet, but what have you witnessed and what impresses you most about the way she's playing?

MIRRA ANDREEVA: Yeah, she's also kind of -- well, not kind of. She's a great player. How long has she been on tour, like one year, for sure? So she's my age. She's also, you know, learning a lot, as me, you know, getting a lot of experience. I feel like we have maybe more in common just because we're kind of the same age.

Also, she's been having a great season so far, starting in Australia, playing quarterfinal of a slam for the first time. Also, home crowd. So it's kind of -- I feel like she's trying to play very aggressive. She's trying to go for her shots. You know, she's trying to be brave.

I was watching a little bit of their match with Alex Eala the other day. The match was very good.

I don't know. We'll see. I have, like, a little picture of both of their games, but then I just kind of gave this job to Conchita. She has to work on that.

Q. What was your reset routine today? How has it evolved over the last few months?

MIRRA ANDREEVA: Yeah. You mean reset routine when?

Q. In the match.

MIRRA ANDREEVA: Within the match? After losing the first -- yeah, okay.

Q. Also after, you know, you would hit shots that were kind of wayward at key moments, but it didn't seem to bother you.

MIRRA ANDREEVA: Well, as I said in the beginning, I just felt like I was a little bit off, like I would just commit some mistakes that I wouldn't normally do. So, like, I don't know, a lot of shanking, a lot of, I don't know, points that I didn't really feel comfortable.

Also, I mean, credits to her, because she probably made me feel uncomfortable playing her. So after, I mean, I also got a little bit frustrated, because I felt like I couldn't really do what I wanted to do on the court.

Then after the first set, I just really tried to say, Okay, you know, whatever happens, I'm just going to at least try to go for my shots. I wanted to go to the bathroom, but then I didn't want to spend so much time.

So I was, like, Okay, I better sit. I don't want to walk anywhere. I decided to stay just calm and not kind of waste my energy a little bit.

I was looking at Conchita as well for her to give me some tips. Then I just tried to tell myself that, Okay, if she wins, at least let's make it hard for her. At least, you know, she's gonna, if she wins, she's going to remember that this match was a tough win, you know, it was not easy.

So I just told myself that and, you know, with that kind of mindset, I felt like it was easier for me after to win more games, to win more points, and be more positive with myself.

Q. This is your best performance since winning the French Open. Can you maybe speak about how that transition has been, whether you're feeling more comfortable as a Grand Slam champion? And what do you think are your odds here this time?

MIRRA ANDREEVA: Well, when I was coming into this tournament, I didn't really know what to expect, because my results here were not the best. My best result was third round.

I was, like, Okay, you know, at least, I don't know, something will happen. But I didn't expect much. Because for some reason, I don't know, I just seem to not be able to find my rhythm yet here.

And now, I mean, so far, thank God, it's going not bad. But I don't know. I just kind of feel like maybe I'm more at peace in a way that I'm not as demanding of myself anymore.

So, like, before -- I mean, after winning French Open, I feel like, you know, every match that I play I have to win, because, you know, I won the biggest tournament of my life. Now I have to, you know, go out there and win every match that I play.

Now I just approach it, okay, I won not a Grand Slam, I won just another tournament. I don't know, whatever it is, it's not a Grand Slam. So I'm just trying to, like, forget that it was a Grand Slam, trying not to think about it, not overthink, as well, and just kind of, I don't know, let it go easy, not to think about it, chill, enjoy, and that's how I approach things right now.

Q. What kind of allowed you to make that shift? Why did that shift occur, and when?

MIRRA ANDREEVA: Well, I think it happened, I had my talk with my psychologist, and it was either Toronto or Cincinnati. So before this tournament.

I think it was in Cincinnati before the tournament started and we were just talking about it. I was just, you know, sharing how I feel, that I feel very stressed, that I feel, I don't know, super demanding of myself, that I cannot seem to let myself go and enjoy as I did before.

And, you know, that's what she said. That's what she came up with. I felt like that was helping a lot when I was practicing, when I was, you know, playing matches. And then I just really tried to convince myself, you know, not to have, like, other thoughts, not to, as I said, overthink or question what my team says or what she says.

I don't know. She said it was another tournament. Okay. It was another tournament. I believe you. I commit to that. I was just really trying to focus on doing whatever I was told, so like that, my head wouldn't be filled with other thoughts.

That's what I try to do to this day, and I feel like, you know, it's working so far.

Q. Specifically in matches, or also, like, outside of tennis?

MIRRA ANDREEVA: Well, it was not, like, stressed, like, Oh, my God, I cannot play tennis. It was more like I was really nervous before every match that I would play. I was very nervous at tight moments.

And then I couldn't, you know, do what I do on the court. So I couldn't play my best, couldn't show my game really.

Yeah, just, I don't know, this.