At just 17, Mirra Andreeva is already making waves on the WTA Tour. The rising Russian star, currently competing at the Brisbane International, has stunned the tennis world by defeating her idol, Ons Jabeur, to secure her place in the semifinals. Andreeva now faces a formidable challenge, with either World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka or Marie Bouzkova standing in her way of a place in Sunday’s final. Following her impressive victory, Andreeva shared her thoughts on the tennis legends who have inspired her journey.

Following her impressive win, Andreeva gave fans a glimpse into her tennis inspirations during her on-court interview. When asked about her favorite players, the teenager revealed her admiration for icons from the 1980s and 1990s.

She named Steffi Graf and Martina Hingis as two legends she grew up watching and continues to look up to. “I watch all kinds of tennis,” Andreeva shared. “I sometimes watch Martina Hingis and also Steffi Graf. They are legends… so I just try to look up to them and see what they do on court to maybe take some stuff with me.” Her words reflected her deep respect for their legacy and her efforts to incorporate their techniques into her own game.

Switching to the men’s side, Andreeva had an unexpected pick in Dustin Brown. The German-Jamaican player, known for his flamboyant playing style, left a lasting impression on her. “I also really like watching Dustin Brown when he used to play. He’s a very entertaining player. So I watch a lot of tennis. I know almost everyone,” she said. Brown, remembered for his stunning upset against Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon in 2015, was ranked 102 at the time.

Andreeva has become one of the most talked-about players in women’s tennis. Over the past 18 months, she has consistently impressed with her stellar performances and record-breaking achievements. Her journey reached a significant milestone in May when she became the youngest French Open semifinalist since Hingis in 1997. This also made her the youngest Grand Slam semifinalist since Hingis achieved the feat at the US Open in the same year. Adding to her list of accomplishments, Andreeva won her first WTA title in Iasi in July and reached a career-high ranking of No. 16.

With such inspirations fueling her, Andreeva’s ambitions are clear. As she builds on her impressive start in Brisbane, the teenager hopes to follow in the footsteps of her idols, Steffi Graf and Martina Hingis, and perhaps one day lift the Australian Open trophy—where she made a breakthrough run last year. While Martina Hingis has been her longtime idol, she once even offered her the job to coach her.

Martina Hingis reveals coaching offer from rising star Mirra Andreeva

In an interesting revelation, tennis legend Martina Hingis shared that she was approached by Mirra Andreeva for a coaching role during the 2024 season. Despite being an admirer of the 17-year-old’s playing style, Hingis had to turn down the opportunity due to family commitments.

Speaking on The Sit-Down podcast, Hingis said, “It was also funny because this year she asked me if I would want to coach her. And I’m a big fan of hers, the way she plays. Unfortunately, I couldn’t take that job because my daughter going to kindergarten, and I’m not able to travel as much.”

Hingis praised Andreeva’s coach, Conchita Martinez, for shaping the young star’s game. She also expressed her hopes for Andreeva to adopt a more aggressive approach, encouraging her to “take the ball on the rise, step in, and move forward.” Hingis believes Andreeva has the potential to break into the top 10 if she continues to refine her game.