“I think I need to work on the execution part,” said Coco Gauff about how her forehand still needs improvement. However, despite her arsenal having that serious issue, the two Grand Slams to her name would testify that the 21-year-old has found ways to meander around the issue. Luckily, though, she’s not alone in this. There are plenty of others who also suffer from the same trouble. Notably, Mirra Andreeva seems to walk in the same path as Gauff, but like the latter, the Russian could also overcome the troubles.

Just hours ago, Andreeva defeated the USA’s Emma Navarro in the Round of 16 at SW19 to reach the quarterfinals. And yet, despite the feat, the teenager’s forehand caused many clenched eyebrows at the British Slam. Now, as Andreeva waits to face Belinda Bencic, one former star believes that the 2024 Paris Olympics silver medalist could take a page out of Gauff’s books to subdue her upcoming opponent.

In a YouTube upload by the Tennis Channel from July 7, ex-pro player Victoria Duval shared her thoughts on how Mirra could turn to Coco Gauff to find a way to work through her forehand troubles. Noting that while Andreeva has spent more play time on clay and hard courts, Duval said about the unique challenge Wimbledon poses for the Russian, “Grass is a surface that’s not as forgiving as the others, and it’s more unpredictable. So I think for Mirra, there’s a lot more variability in how the ball is going to be received on her forehand side.”

However, she also asserted that a prime example is nearby for Andreeva to sort out her problem. “…if we look at someone like Coco Gauff, who’s accomplished so much with her forehand and the struggles that she can have on that side as well. Mirra is so tough, and the good news for her she’s only 20? 19? 18 years old. So, she has a lot of time to figure it out,” the former world no. 87 said. She also didn’t forget to highlight that Mirra’s coach, Conchita Martinez, who won Wimbledon in 1994, could also help her student to break through her forehand issue.

“I don’t see it as an obstacle for her,” the former tennis star concluded about Andreeva’s forehand causing trouble against Bencic. However, looking at the track record of the world no. 7, Duval should already know that Andreeva is up for taking on even the fiercest of rivals without wincing. Don’t believe us? Just take a look at how well the 2024 season panned out for the young Russian!

Mirra Andreeva could do well, with a little handout from Martina Navratilova

The 18x Grand Slam winning icon, Martina Navratilova, also shared a few tips with the Russian that we’d wager helped out Andreeva in her pursuit of becoming a tennis sensation herself. Just after Mirra won her first match at Wimbledon against Egypt’s Mayar Sherif, Navratilova got to spend some time with the former on the sets of the Tennis Channel. And as you’d hope as a rising tennis player, the former world No. 1 did have a few things to share with her successor.

“Staying low is essential and shorten up the swings a little bit,” Navratilova told Andreeva, suggesting that players hate when their opponents slice the ball low. The 19-year-old obviously didn’t look unwelcome to receive tips from the legend, but also posited that if she lost her next match, it would definitely be on Navratilova. A chuckle erupted on the set, but so far, it does seem like Martina’s advice paid off, especially considering how Andreeva essentially breezed through all her next three opponents at Wimbledon.

Well, while the dinner promised to Navratilova is yet to be followed up on, we do believe it’ll only happen once the teen wraps up her Wimbledon. But do you think the dinner will take place between two British Slam champs? Or between one legend and one Grand-Slam-celebrity-still-in-the-making? Share your thoughts on Mirra Andreeva’s possible final Wimbledon results with us!