Mirra Andreeva’s 2025 season had the rhythm of a coming-of-age story—brilliant highs, uncomfortable pauses, and lessons learned the hard way. After breaking into the world’s top five and winning two titles, narrowly missing a few, the 18-year-old arrived in Macau with more than tennis on her mind – and a Rafael Nadal quote guiding her perspective. Let us tell you, this teenager has already started thinking way beyond wins and rankings…

During one of her recent on-court interviews at the Macau Tennis Masters, Andreeva revealed what that mantra is, which she learned from tennis great Rafael Nadal. She revealed the influence of one of tennis’s greatest icons.

“I would say to be a player that everyone would remember for being curious on court, do whatever she wants on the court, interesting to watch, and always stay humble, like Rafa said. I just want to be a player to remember on the Tour, and I hope that I can achieve that in my career.”

It was an honest confession and a telling one. In an era obsessed with rankings, trophies, and social-media milestones, Andreeva’s inspiration came back to a simple Nadal mantra – stay humble. Not just when you’re winning, but especially when you’re not. The numbers already suggest she’s on the right path. After turning pro in 2022, Mirra Andreeva has already won three singles titles in her career and reached the SF of the French Open (2024) and the QF of Wimbledon in 2025.

Andreeva seems more focused on identity than accumulation. That balance – ambition without arrogance – is perhaps where Nadal’s influence shows most clearly. Like the Spaniard, Andreeva appears intent on letting her tennis speak, while her attitude keeps her grounded.

However, this wasn’t the first time that we’ve seen Mirra Andreeva expressing her admiration for Rafael Nadal. Even in July 2023, during an interview, she said that she’s a big fan of Roger Federer and also labeled the Swiss as her “favorite player.”

But speaking about the Spaniard, she said, “After Nadal won [the] French Open in 2022, I was really impressed because after an injury, he came back, he won the Australian Open, he won French Open. After that, I can say that now, mentally, I just try sometimes to copy him. I just try to remember what would he do in these moments, what would he do on the score. Sometimes, yes, I can say that I copy him.”

Making an incredible comeback after battling illness, Andreeva looks in good form ahead of the 2026 Australian Open. What did she say after beating Alexandra Eala in the recent exhibition match?

Mirra Andreeva thanks Alexandra Eala for a special reason after their recent faceoff

On the final day of the Macau Tennis Masters, Mirra Andreeva walked onto the court carrying more than just expectations. The Russian phenom, now ranked number 9, was still shaking off the effects of an illness that forced her to withdraw from a mixed doubles appearance just a day earlier. Questions lingered about her condition, her rhythm, and whether she would even be able to compete at her best. Despite the uncertainty surrounding her health, Andreeva delivered a composed and controlled performance, sealing a 6-4, 6-2 victory at the Macau Forum.

It was the kind of win that spoke less about dominance and more about resilience. During her on-court interview, Andreeva thanked Eala.

“I feel better than yesterday, but I really have to thank Alex for taking it easy on me today, because otherwise I felt like I wouldn’t stand a chance against her. Today was tough, but definitely better than yesterday.”

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The remark was half-humor, half-honesty – and entirely revealing. She further added, “These kinds of tournaments are a great preparation for Australia. It’s also important to have some fun on the court as well at the same time. I felt like today with Alex, we had a lot of fun.”

Mirra Andreeva has already revealed that she wants to win a couple of Grand Slams and guess what? She now also has strong backing with the likes of Serena Williams’ childhood coach, Rick Macci. He has always been a big admirer of this teenage sensation. According to the American, Andreeva has “Grand Slam written all over her,” as he believes she’ll be the one to watch out for in 2026. Do you also feel the same, though?