The Australian Open takes a turn for Mirra Andreeva. The young starlet from Russia, who had been gliding through the draw so far, hits a sudden stop. Facing Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina, she struggled against the tough obstacle posed by the World No. 12. Although things didn’t go her way, that wasn’t the only drama on court tonight.

On Sunday, emotions ran high for the “Russian Rabbit.” Elina struck first, taking the opening set 6-4. In the second, with the score at 4-5 (30-30), Mirra’s frustration hit its limit. She fired a return into the net, then slammed her racket onto the court. In the end, the victory went to the Ukrainian star. Andreeva stormed off without shaking hands at the net, drawing boos from the crowd as she headed straight to the umpire.

For Svitolina, it’s another milestone. It’s her fourth quarterfinal at the Australian Open. Her record at Melbourne Park now stands at an impressive 33-12. Yet, despite that achievement, it’s Mirra Andreeva’s outburst that stole the spotlight.

While this time it was Mirra Andreeva who refused the handshake, Svitolina has done so in the past as well. She is among the few players to have avoided handshakes at the end of matches agaisnt rivals from Russia and Belarus. However, while the eight seed was a clear favorite coming into the match, it runed against her in the end.

On the other hand, Mirra has already left her mark at Melbourne Park. Two years ago, at just 16, she burst onto the scene by winning three matches in her Australian Open debut, including a stunning victory over three-time Grand Slam finalist Ons Jabeur, before bowing out in the round of 16 to Barbora Krejcikova. Last year, the young Russian backed it up with another impressive run, sailing through her first three matches before world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka stopped her progress.

While her campaign at the Australian Open has come to an end, the question of what she looks to do ahead still remains. After she was booed off the court, some might wonder if this Russia pro will follow in the footsteps of her fellow Russian players.

Will Mirra Andreeva change her citizenship?

It began when Daria Kasatkina, a longtime star of Russian tennis, pulled off a big surprise by choosing to represent Australia last year. Her move seemed to set off a chain reaction. By late 2025, Anastasia Potapova chose Austria, while Polina Kudermetova, Kamilla Rakhimova, and Maria Timofeeva started competing for Uzbekistan.

“I haven’t even thought about it, I’ve heard and seen it lately, especially about Kasatkina and how she changed her citizenship. Many players have switched, but I’m going to keep playing as I am, I haven’t had any offers or anything like that, so for now, I’ll continue as is. It doesn’t bring any extra pressure for me; I’m just doing my thing on the court. I focus on how to improve and be a better tennis player,” Mirra Andreeva said.

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For the 18-year-old, it’s all about tennis, not nationality. She seems happy to focus on her own game, blocking out all the surrounding noise. The young Russian sounds more determined than ever to keep improving without worrying about who’s changing flags.

Looking ahead, Andreeva might skip Melbourne Park this time, but her schedule still looks busy. With big points to defend during the Middle East swing and the Sunshine Double, the next few weeks could be crucial. Will Mirra Andreeva succeed in doing so? Share your thoughts in the comments below!