At the 2025 US Open, teenage prodigy Mirra Andreeva was among the favorites to claim the title. However, in a stunning turn of events, Taylor Townsend delivered the tournament’s biggest upset, defeating Andreeva in the third round. With tears streaming down her cheeks, Andreeva exited the tournament with a heavy heart, more determined to bounce back. Ahead of the China Open, she said, “I’m trying to really focus on enjoying the game more.” True to her word, Andreeva’s victory over Jessica Bouzas Maneiro allowed her to equal a remarkable record, signaling her rise.

Spicy Little Mirra — that’s what the Chinese crowd affectionately calls Andreeva. But despite the nickname, the 19-year-old phenom stayed composed when facing the Spanish standout. In just 1 hour and 32 minutes, she carved her way into the fourth round, inching ever closer to a quarterfinal berth. Defeating her Spanish opponent 6-4, 6-1, it was clear she was in complete control from start to finish. “Honestly, when so many people support me, I never feel pressure. I only feel extra strength that is always with me on the court. So, I want to thank you guys for the support,” said the 18-year-old prodigy.

Riding a wave of back-to-back victories, Mirra Andreeva has her sights on the China Open. But before that, a quick reminder: the 19-year-old sensation has already made history by matching Venus Williams’ record. Andreeva now sits tied with Williams for the fifth-most wins in Tier 1/WTA-1000 events before turning 19, a feat unmatched since the format’s inception in 1990.

Well, this achievement is just the tip of the iceberg, and Andreeva is not just matching the legends but rewriting history. At just 17, the Russian achieved the most WTA 1000 wins before turning 18, yeah. She ousted Venus Williams, becoming the youngest-ever champion at the Dubai Tennis Championships and one of the youngest to clinch multiple WTA 1000 titles. She didn’t stop there, and Andreeva continued her rise with a stunning victory at Indian Wells, catapulting her into the WTA Top 10, a feat Venus hadn’t achieved at such a young age.

That’s not all, Mirra Andreeva’s WTA-level win tally in 2025 has reached a milestone last seen a decade ago, with the previous teenager to achieve this feat in a single season being Belinda Bencic back in 2015. With back-to-back victories, the Russian is proving that the ‘prodigy’ label the tennis world has given her is well-deserved. Well, ahead of the China Open, she had the mentality of a winner.

“I’m working on being positive,” said Mirra Andreeva ahead of the China Open

Jessica Bouzas Maneiro started off the match with the intention of dominating the Russian, taking a 2-1 lead in the opening set. However, Andreeva maintained her composure, levelling the score and later breaking Maneiro’s stance to claim the first set. As the second set began, both players held the serve initially, but the Russian soon surged ahead, winning five games in a row to seal the victory. Consistency became the spoilsport for the Spanish athlete as she racked up 54 unforced errors to Andreeva’s 25.

With this victory, Andreeva has edged closer to the quarterfinals, but what fueled her dominant performance despite the earlier upset against Taylor Townsend at the US Open? The answer lies in her unshakable mindset. Talking to the media, the athlete claimed, “I’m trying to really focus on enjoying the game more. After I won those titles, I started to feel more pressure and more expectations. I’m working on being positive, having a good mindset and just trying to enjoy the game, and do whatever I want to do on court without overthinking.”

She further added, “After I won those two titles, I felt like people were expecting me to win every tournament I play, which I think we all knew would be impossible. But I think that is an experience I had to go through. You have to go through this, take the positives out of that, try to improve and learn from your mistakes. Every day I try to learn, and I get older, maybe a little bit wiser, maybe a little bit smarter.”

While a third title has eluded her hands this year, the athlete has fared better, boasting a 13-4 Grand Slam record and reaching the quarterfinals at both the French Open and Wimbledon. With her eyes set on the China Open, she is doing everything to reach the finals, but will she be able to?