It was almost 20 years ago that a 22-year-old Roger Federer was scripting his breakout season. It was almost 20 years ago that a 17-year-old Rafael Nadal was climbing through the ranks. And it was almost 20 years ago that they played against each other for the first time. The third round of the 2004 Miami Masters was where their rivalry started. It was where they went from being mere professional tennis players to starting out on a path to set an example for generations to come. The past two decades are a testament to that, and so is what Russian prodigy Mirra Andreeva had to say.

Much like how Nadal’s straight-set victory over Federer in Miami announced his arrival into the tennis world as a force to be reckoned with, Andreeva did something similar this season. After getting a wildcard into the Madrid Masters main draw, the 16-year-old won her first WTA match, defeating Leylah Fernandez. But her impressive runs in the French Open and Wimbledon—third round and pre-quarters, respectively—were her breakout moments. But the cherry on top came right at the very end.

Nobody’s perfect, and neither were Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal

After getting a surprise call to jump in and compete in the World Tennis League for Team Eagles, Mirra Andreeva helped her team to championship glory in Abu Dhabi. The tournament—and especially her final doubles match—was filled with tense moments, but ultimately, she and her team came out on top. After the celebrations, she revealed how she has been dealing with pressure situations all year. That’s where Federer and Nadal came in.

As quoted by gulfnews.com, “Sometimes I get upset when some things don’t go my way. I think about those mistakes and it’s all the heavy thoughts in my head. Now I’m trying to just let it go. If I miss it okay, even Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal also miss.” It was Federer’s forehand miss that gave Nadal the 2008 Wimbledon title. And it was Nadal’s backhand miss that gave Federer a berth in the 2019 Wimbledon final. So just let it go,” added Andreeva.

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Being a 16-year-old, competing against the very best players in the world on the quest to become one of them is no easy feat. But Andreeva’s ‘never back down’ attitude is certainly helping her. She’s had her tough moments, but it’s how she’s gotten past them that’s defined her as a player to watch out for. And her final doubles match at the WTL was a testament to not just this but also to what she said about Federer and Nadal.

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Mirra Andreeva scripted an incredible comeback in the WTL

In the finals of the WTL, Team Eagles took on Team Kites. After narrowly losing to Paula Badosa and Stefanos Tsitsipas in the mixed doubles while partnering Daniil Medvedev, Mirra Andreeva showed brilliant composure in the women’s doubles.

Partnering Sofia Kenin, the duo were 2-5 and two match points down when they made a double fault. While it looked like all was lost, they challenged it, and it turned in their favor. “After the double fault, I thought it’s over, but we challenged, and it was in, so we were very happy,” said Andreeva. From there on, they won five games in a row to win the match 7-5.

Championship glory at the WTL was the perfect way for Mirra Andreeva to and her breakout season. Ending 2023 ranked 57, the 16-year-old reached a career-high of No.46. And she has bigger goals for 2024. In her words, “My goal for the new year is to go higher in the ranking, which will get more attention.” Can she become the next big thing in women’s tennis?

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