The Russian ace Mirra Andreeva, the teenage sensation who stunned the world with back-to-back WTA 1000 titles in Dubai and Indian Wells, once lit up the court with her unforgettable words: “He was saying that even if you don’t play your 100%, or even if you don’t feel like you’re there 100% physically, I’m going to choose to be 100% mentally.” That quote became iconic after her Indian Wells win over the top seed Aryna Sabalenka. Later, although her form dipped slightly with only a Madrid Open QF showing since, she’s once again catching fire in Paris, thanks to a surprisingly lucky charm she just revealed at Roland Garros! Any guesses what she is talking about?

The 6th-ranked is making waves at Roland Garros, competing in just her 9th Grand Slam event and already reaching the second week in five of them. The 18-year-old displayed brilliance on Saturday, defeating 32nd-ranked Yulia Putintseva 6-3, 6-1 in a masterclass of tactics and finesse.

With this win, she becomes the youngest player to reach 5 Grand Slam second week since Nicole Vaidisova in 2007. She also joins an elite list with her 10th main-draw win in Paris, the youngest since Martina Hingis in 1997. But do you think that it was just her dominance that captured attention? Well, no! It was a surprise post-match revelation that had fans buzzing about the unexpected lucky charm to her success.

Right after her impressive straight-sets win over Yulia Putintseva, Andreeva revealed a colorful, circular artwork that resembled a mandala, possibly hand-painted or crafted, which she believes brought her luck on court. “When I was walking on court a little girl that was with me put it on my bench. I think it was kind of a lucky charm,” the Russian said during her on-court interview.

Though the rain had dulled its outer appearance, Andreeva was clear about its value. “It doesn’t look that beautiful anymore because of the rain. But of course I’m gonna keep it. I think it’s my lucky charm now. I don’t know, wherever that girl is, thank you so much… because this is why I won today.”

This isn’t the 1st time Andreeva has credited a lucky charm during a Roland Garros. Back in 2023, after her first main-draw victory at France, she fondly remembered an unexpected interaction with Andy Murray as a good omen. During her Madrid Open run that year, where Mirra stunned two top-20 players, Andreeva called Murray “beautiful” in an interview. Murray later responded on Twitter: “Imagine how good she’s going to be when she gets her eyes fixed.”

The 16-year-old then later shared that their interaction continued off social media. “After he won a Challenger, I texted him,” she said, laughing. “I said: ‘Congratulations’. He actually answered me, so I was really happy about it. He said: ‘Thank you, and good luck in Roland Garros.’ Maybe that’s why I’m playing that good now.”

Up next, Andreeva will face 17th seed Daria Kasatkina in a rematch of last year’s thrilling Ningbo final. Kasatkina is coming off a tough win over Spaniard Paula Badosa, 6-1, 7-5. And while Andreeva’s win against Putintseva looked dominant on paper, she admitted it was anything but straightforward, while also acknowledging the difficulty of facing such a tricky opponent.

Mirra Andreeva opens up on Yulia Putintseva’s challenge

In a fascinating 1st-time clash between 6th seed Mirra Andreeva and 2-time Roland Garros quarterfinalist Yulia Putintseva, fans witnessed a tactical battle between 2 of the game’s most intelligent shot-makers. The opening set’s early stages featured closely contested rallies, with both players testing each other’s court skills. However, it was the Russian ace who cracked the code first. From 3-3, the teenager surged with poise and confidence, winning nine of the last 10 games to close out a commanding 6-3, 6-1 victory.

However, despite the scoreline, the match was far from straightforward, as later in the in-court interview, Andreeva acknowledged the challenge of facing Putintseva, whose unorthodox rhythm disrupted her game. “I knew that Yulia, she’s a very tricky player,” she said. “She plays very interesting, and it’s very uncomfortable for me. She likes to cut the rhythm a lot, and I struggled with it, especially in the beginning.”

She also added, “But I’ve practised with her once. I kind of knew what to expect, but of course, practise is completely different to the match. I just knew I had to play my 100%, fight for every ball and try to get those drop shots!”

Now, with her lucky charm by her side and renewed self-belief, Andreeva looks ahead to her next test, a rematch against Australian Daria Kasatkina. Will her grit and growing momentum be enough to book a spot in the Roland Garros R16 this time?