The American dream at Wimbledon, especially on the WTA side, is flickering dim this year. Top seeds like Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula have already crashed out in shocking first-round exits, leaving hopes now resting squarely on Madison Keys, the reigning Aussie Open queen. But what’s really going wrong? Maybe the secret slipped past them. Just ask Mirra Andreeva. After her opening match, the rising Russian star received a golden piece of advice from none other than Martina Navratilova. She took it to heart and yesterday stormed into the third round in straight sets. Want to know that untold story? It’s one worth chasing.

Just a couple of hours ago, Tennis Channel dropped a carousel of video clips that had fans buzzing, captioning: “Don’t forget that dinner @mirraandreeva 😂,” tagging the rising Russian star. The clips captured golden moments, some from Mirra Andreeva’s first-round clash against Egypt’s Mayar Sherif, and one from yesterday’s win over Italy’s Lucia Bronzetti, both filmed in the same spot where she cheekily acknowledged the “dinner and bracelet” deal. While Martina Navratilova joined the studio, the presenter recalled how her first-round advice of staying low on the grass and shortening her swings helped Mirra charge the net 14 times in her opener and nine more in round two.

Martina beamed with pride and said, “She won in straight sets and yeah, you passed the test well done.” And just as she wrapped up, the legend added with a grin, “You promised a nice meal.” When asked about it, Mirra didn’t flinch. “Well, the bracelets are slightly easier,” she quipped. Without skipping a beat, she took off one of her bracelets, wore it on Martina’s wrist, and said with charm, “See I keep my promises. I don’t remember though that I promised you the dinner but we will figure it out, it’s okay.” Pure heart, pure fire.

For the readers, the story began on Tuesday, when 18-year-old Mirra Andreeva stepped onto the Wimbledon grass for her opening-round clash against Egypt’s Mayar Sherif. In just an hour and 19 minutes, the Russian prodigy stormed into the second round with a commanding 6-3, 6-3 win. It marked a special milestone, her first-ever match victory at Wimbledon since debuting at SW19 in 2023. The performance? Dominant. The message? Clear: Andreeva has arrived!

Later, following her win, Andreeva joined the “Tennis Channel” studio crew, where none other than Martina Navratilova was waiting. In conversation, she revealed a small slice of advice she received from her coach, former Wimbledon champion Conchita Martinez. “She told me to use a little more slice,” Andreeva admitted, before pondering, “But I don’t know if it’s just because of the grass or just because she used to do lot of slice.” With a smile, she added, “It also works okay. It’s fine. I think she’s doing okay. So that’s all that I can tell you, for now.”

Martina, with her iconic presence, didn’t hold back and dropped some tactical wisdom of her own. “By the way, it’s both the slice,” she explained. “She used it on grass and also the players don’t like it when you slice the ball because the ball stays low and they can’t get a good hit on the ball.” That nugget of gold might’ve flown under the radar until Andreeva, playfully persistent, asked, “Can you give me an advice?” Navratilova, with a laugh, fired back, “Oh, I just did.”

The tennis titan didn’t stop there, adding, “Staying low is essential and shorten up the swings a little bit.” That’s when the young star struck back with playful fire: “Okay. If I lose my next match, that’s your fault.” However, Martina, ever sharp, tossed the ball right back: “If you win, what do I get?” Without missing a beat, Mirra replied, “If I win, then I can pay you a dinner at a nice restaurant.” A deal was made! 

And while Andreeva’s latest match may not have been as smooth, she’s still swinging and keeping her dinner promise alive.

Mirra Andreeva triumphs in a dramatic two-part battle

Back in February, 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva etched her name into the history books by winning the Dubai title, becoming the youngest player ever to lift a WTA 1000 trophy. She didn’t stop there; just weeks later, she added another to her name at Indian Wells, rocketing into the WTA Top 10. But with teenage brilliance comes volatility. A surprise QF loss to wild card Lois Boisson at Roland Garros and a first-round exit in Berlin to Magdalena Frech cast a shadow over her red-hot start. Still, the young star continues to bounce back.

Yesterday, Andreeva looked sharp again. She served flawlessly. Andreeva’s forehand slice became a persistent thorn in Bronzetti’s side, helping to extend the Italian’s unfortunate record to 0-10 against Top 10 players. The first set was clinical, and Andreeva won 14 of 16 first-serve points and broke twice out of three opportunities, closing the set in just 24 minutes.

Bronzetti, 26, refused to go quietly. In their first-ever meeting, played under the warm Thursday sun, she regrouped in the second set. Coached courtside by Francesco Piccari, the Italian capitalized on Andreeva’s drop in first-serve percentage and broke to move ahead 4-2. At 5-3, she had a chance to serve out the set but faltered, getting broken at 15. Even with two set points on Andreeva’s next service game, the teenager held firm, snuffing them out with authority.

“It was a really tough match,” said Andreeva after the win. “In the beginning I felt like I was playing great. I was taking the ball early and trying to play aggressive. But in the second set she started to play better and I got a little nervous, so I’m super happy that I managed to push myself until the end.” Speaking of Centre Court debut nerves, she added, “Honestly, I was super nervous to play on this court for the first time. I’m just happy that my first time on this amazing court was successful.”

Now, she prepares for a third-round showdown against an in-form American, Hailey Baptiste, who’s enjoying her own dream Wimbledon run. With two straight-set wins already in her pocket, can Andreeva keep her rhythm and break through once more? The stars and slices will decide!

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