Mirra Andreeva amazed everyone with her tennis at the 2025 Dubai Championships, but also with her speech afterward.
Andreeva became the youngest WTA 1000 champion in the history of the competition. The current format was introduced back in 2009, and since then, there hasn’t been a younger winner than her.
The 17-year-old player didn’t have any issues against three Grand Slam champions on her way to the final. She beat Marketa Vondrousova, Iga Swiatek, and Elena Rybakina, becoming the first player to beat three major winners at one event in over two decades.
There are many lines in the history books that she managed to rewrite with her incredible win, but Andreeva didn’t amaze only with her tennis. The teenager has a truly unique personality, which she showcased in the United Arab Emirates.
She revealed that the key to beating Swiatek and Rybakina was not thinking, which might be counterintuitive to some, but it worked for the teenager.
After her final win over Clara Tauson, the 17-year-old Russian also delivered an iconic speech. Most tennis players thank everyone who helped them after winning a title.
This includes team members, family, friends, and staff at the venue. But Andreeva chose a unique approach. She made sure to thank one person that many often forget to acknowledge – herself.
“I would like to thank me. I know what I have been dealing with, and I just want to thank me for always believing in me. I want to thank me for never quitting and always dealing with the pressure. Today was not easy, but I chose to be there 100 percent, so I thank myself for that.”
Andreeva thanked herself for managing to deal with all the pressure and believing in herself. This isn’t the first time she’s done so. After her win in Iasi last year, the teenager thanked herself as well.
During her post-match press conference, Andreeva discussed her performance. She was the losing player for most of the first set. However, after winning the set, she gained significant confidence.
“When I managed to win the first set, I felt like, ‘Well, OK, this is, I think, one of the first times when I actually lead in the score.’ That gave me a bit of confidence. I missed some shots that I usually don’t miss. [But] if something doesn’t go your way, OK, fine, you forget about it, play one point at a time.”
Andreeva also shared that listening to interviews of legendary NBA player LeBron James inspired her confidence.
“I’ve been listening to a lot of LeBron James interviews. What he said is it’s easy to be confident and to play well when everything goes your way. What makes you a champion is when you’re giving your best when you don’t feel great. That’s what I tried to do today.”
She will now aim to replicate her success at the Indian Wells Open and the Miami Open, her next two events.
