Of the many lessons Mirra Andreeva has learnt from her breakthrough 2023 campaign, one particularly stands out to her – it’s that tennis is just a game, and if she treats it like one, then things will likely go her way.
The WTA’s 2023 Newcomer of the Year started last season “crying every day for over a week” after losing to her best friend Alina Korneeva in the Australian Open girls’ final.
Little did Andreeva know that just 12 months later she would be defeating one of her idols, sixth-ranked Ons Jabeur, en route to the third round of the women’s draw at the Australian Open.
“I'm happy I played with Ons. It was one of my dreams to play against her because I really like the way she plays. I'm inspired by her. So today it meant a lot, this match that I won,” said the 16-year-old Andreeva in Melbourne on Wednesday after becoming the youngest player to defeat a top-10 seed in women’s singles at a major.
Rapid rise
Andreeva’s defeat to Korneeva last year proved to be a turning point for the talented Russian. After making three finals in as many tournaments on the junior circuit at the beginning of 2023, Andreeva stepped up to the professional tour in April and won her first 16 matches in a row.
During that stretch, Andreeva picked up back-to-back W60 titles in Switzerland then announced herself on the WTA Tour in tremendous fashion, knocking out three top-50 players en route to the round of 16 at the Mutua Madrid Open.
It took eventual champion Aryna Sabalenka to halt her unbeaten run. But Andreeva, who turned 16 that week in the Spanish capital, had already made history as the youngest player to ever make it that far at a WTA 1000 event.
Off the court, she was charming her way from one television studio to another, her bubbly personality and earnestness shining through as she narrated her first experiences on the big stage.
“Of course, I didn’t expect that to happen because in the beginning of the year I played juniors Grand Slam, I had a quick rise up,” Andreeva told The National at the World Tennis League in Abu Dhabi last month.
“I was just trying to do my thing, I was just playing and hoping that I will get a chance to play Roland Garros qualies. That was my goal when I was playing the two tournaments in Switzerland, and I did it.”
Stepping up at the majors
Making her Grand Slam debut at the senior level in Paris, Andreeva made it through qualifying and marched to the third round of the main draw without dropping a set. Her last-32 clash with 2022 Roland Garros runner-up Coco Gauff went the distance but ultimately went Gauff’s way.
Another new challenge was up next for Andreeva: Wimbledon. The France-based teenager had never competed on grass before setting foot at Roehampton in June to contest the qualifying rounds of Wimbledon.
She spent a great deal of her practice sessions stumbling onto the lawns in south-west London – “I think I’m the person who falls more than anybody else,” she said during qualifying – but that didn’t stop her from winning six consecutive matches on the surface to advance to the fourth round at the All England Club.
“At Wimbledon, I said, ‘Okay it’s my first tournament on grass, probably I’ll lose first round qualies, it’s okay. But at least I get a chance to play on grass this year’. And with that mentality, I made the fourth round, which I think is not bad. I’m just thrilled that I got a chance at this level this year,” she reflected.
By November, Andreeva had cracked the top 50, moving up 266 spots up the rankings in the span of seven months – a leap that earned her Newcomer of the Year honours.
“It means a lot because the people, they were voting for me, they were maybe watching the way I play and that’s why they voted for me. So I’m super, super happy that I won the award,” said Andreeva, who is the youngest player in the top 150.
“Maybe next year I will win something else, I hope so. But I’m super happy.”
Lessons from Coco
The last teenager to make such an impression on her Tour debut was Gauff, whose maiden Grand Slam main draw appearance in 2019 was an explosive run to the Wimbledon fourth round – as a 15-year-old qualifier – that included victory over seven-time major winner Venus Williams.
Andreeva squared off with Gauff twice in 2023, losing to the American on both occasions, at Roland Garros and the US Open, where the American was later crowned champion.
Asked what stood out to her the most in Gauff, Andreeva said: “Her mentality for sure because she always fights for every point. I didn’t really get a chance to watch her when she was younger but I knew that she was also this teenage star, that she beat Venus Williams at Wimbledon.
“I watched that match and I was like, ‘wow, that’s huge’. I didn’t do the same thing but it was close to her. So I’m happy.”
Andreeva admits managing her temperament on court remains a work in progress. She can sometimes dwell on her mistakes, allowing them to weigh heavily on her thoughts, but says she tries to remind herself that even the very best commit errors during matches.
“Now I’m trying to just let it go. If I miss, it’s okay, even Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal also miss. So just let it go,” she added.
High targets
Her biggest takeaway from 2023, however, is this: “I guess the way I was preparing for the matches, my mentality of, I will just play, it’s a game, it’s like table tennis.
“When I play table tennis, I’m just having fun. With my sister when we play, I don’t care if I win or lose, I’m just having fun. And on the court, I try to do the same, and I guess that works out not so bad.”
Andreeva says her goals for 2024 are “fluid” but she still has a few targets in mind.
“I’ll try to be top 30 and if I break this goal during the year then I’ll go for top 20 and we’ll see. So I hope that I will make it,” she said last month.
Having kicked off her 2024 campaign with a quarter-final appearance in Brisbane and now a flashy top-10 victory to earn a place in the Australian Open third round, Andreeva is already up to 34 in the live WTA rankings.
Time to improvise a new bucket list for this season because top 30 is well within her reach, and we’re barely three weeks into 2024!
What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
- Cinematography, shots and movement.
- All aspects of post-production.
- Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
- Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
- Tourism industry knowledge.
- Professional ethics.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6
Power: 380hp at 5,800rpm
Torque: 530Nm at 1,300-4,500rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Price: From Dh299,000 ($81,415)
On sale: Now
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The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre, twin-turbo V8
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 582bhp
Torque: 730Nm
Price: Dh649,000
On sale: now
The years Ramadan fell in May
The five pillars of Islam
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 194hp at 5,600rpm
Torque: 275Nm from 2,000-4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Price: from Dh155,000
On sale: now
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EA Sports FC 26
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3/5
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Fitness problems in men's tennis
Andy Murray - hip
Novak Djokovic - elbow
Roger Federer - back
Stan Wawrinka - knee
Kei Nishikori - wrist
Marin Cilic - adductor
Key recommendations
- Fewer criminals put behind bars and more to serve sentences in the community, with short sentences scrapped and many inmates released earlier.
- Greater use of curfews and exclusion zones to deliver tougher supervision than ever on criminals.
- Explore wider powers for judges to punish offenders by blocking them from attending football matches, banning them from driving or travelling abroad through an expansion of ‘ancillary orders’.
- More Intensive Supervision Courts to tackle the root causes of crime such as alcohol and drug abuse – forcing repeat offenders to take part in tough treatment programmes or face prison.
Where can I submit a sample?
Volunteers can now submit DNA samples at a number of centres across Abu Dhabi. The programme is open to all ages.
Collection centres in Abu Dhabi include:
- Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC)
- Biogenix Labs in Masdar City
- Al Towayya in Al Ain
- NMC Royal Hospital in Khalifa City
- Bareen International Hospital
- NMC Specialty Hospital, Al Ain
- NMC Royal Medical Centre - Abu Dhabi
- NMC Royal Women’s Hospital.
The specs: 2019 Mercedes-Benz C200 Coupe
Price, base: Dh201,153
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Power: 204hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 300Nm @ 1,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 6.7L / 100km
Sunday's games
Liverpool v West Ham United, 4.30pm (UAE)
Southampton v Burnley, 4.30pm
Arsenal v Manchester City, 7pm
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MATCH INFO
Alaves 1 (Perez 65' pen)
Real Madrid 2 (Ramos 52', Carvajal 69')
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
Sui Dhaaga: Made in India
Director: Sharat Katariya
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3.5/5
Dates for the diary
To mark Bodytree’s 10th anniversary, the coming season will be filled with celebratory activities:
- September 21 Anyone interested in becoming a certified yoga instructor can sign up for a 250-hour course in Yoga Teacher Training with Jacquelene Sadek. It begins on September 21 and will take place over the course of six weekends.
- October 18 to 21 International yoga instructor, Yogi Nora, will be visiting Bodytree and offering classes.
- October 26 to November 4 International pilates instructor Courtney Miller will be on hand at the studio, offering classes.
- November 9 Bodytree is hosting a party to celebrate turning 10, and everyone is invited. Expect a day full of free classes on the grounds of the studio.
- December 11 Yogeswari, an advanced certified Jivamukti teacher, will be visiting the studio.
- February 2, 2018 Bodytree will host its 4th annual yoga market.
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Sarfira
Director: Sudha Kongara Prasad
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal
Rating: 2/5
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
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The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
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Gifts exchanged
- King Charles - replica of President Eisenhower Sword
- Queen Camilla - Tiffany & Co vintage 18-carat gold, diamond and ruby flower brooch
- Donald Trump - hand-bound leather book with Declaration of Independence
- Melania Trump - personalised Anya Hindmarch handbag
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
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The National selections
Al Ain
5pm: Bolereau
5.30pm: Rich And Famous
6pm: Duc De Faust
6.30pm: Al Thoura
7pm: AF Arrab
7.30pm: Al Jazi
8pm: Futoon
Jebel Ali
1.45pm: AF Kal Noor
2.15pm: Galaxy Road
2.45pm: Dark Thunder
3.15pm: Inverleigh
3.45pm: Bawaasil
4.15pm: Initial
4.45pm: Tafaakhor
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Another way to earn air miles
In addition to the Emirates and Etihad programmes, there is the Air Miles Middle East card, which offers members the ability to choose any airline, has no black-out dates and no restrictions on seat availability. Air Miles is linked up to HSBC credit cards and can also be earned through retail partners such as Spinneys, Sharaf DG and The Toy Store.
An Emirates Dubai-London round-trip ticket costs 180,000 miles on the Air Miles website. But customers earn these ‘miles’ at a much faster rate than airline miles. Adidas offers two air miles per Dh1 spent. Air Miles has partnerships with websites as well, so booking.com and agoda.com offer three miles per Dh1 spent.
“If you use your HSBC credit card when shopping at our partners, you are able to earn Air Miles twice which will mean you can get that flight reward faster and for less spend,” says Paul Lacey, the managing director for Europe, Middle East and India for Aimia, which owns and operates Air Miles Middle East.
Zayed Sustainability Prize
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