“From the first moments, it was a very good fit. We joke a lot, which is always nice. She is playful, and I can follow her because I’m kind of playful, too,” Conchita Martinez once said, talking about her equation with Mirra Andreeva. Their 35-year age gap only sharpens the spark, they’re not just coach and player, but kindred spirits on tour. Under Martinez, who joined forces with Andreeva ahead of the 2024 Open Capfinances Rouen Métropole, the Russian sensation has soared to a career-high ranking of 6. Their bond is as electric off the court as on it, filled with laughter and momentum. Just days after Mirra turned 18, she let slip a juicy tidbit – her coach’s special birthday surprise. Curious what’s that? Let’s find out.

Mirra Andreeva continues her meteoric rise on the WTA Tour, delivering another dazzling performance at the Italian Open. The teenager stormed past Linda Noskova recently with a dominant 6-1, 7-5 win, booking her place in the 4th round. Her relentless precision and poise under pressure reaffirm why she’s considered one of the brightest young talents on the tour today. With titles already secured in Dubai and Indian Wells this season, the Russian shows no signs of slowing down.

As she powers through the Italian clay, Andreeva has made an interesting revelation. She revealed a special birthday gift she got from her coach on her 18th birthday. Speaking during her on-court interview after advancing to the 4th round in Rome, Andreeva was asked about the birthday (29th April) gift she received from Conchita Martinez. With a beaming smile, she said, “Yeah… Conchita got me a portable karaoke for my birthday. She knows how much I love to sing. She tells me I annoy her when I do that. Anyways, she got me the portable Karaoke and for my birthday, they sang Bella Ciao,” drawing laughter from the crowd.

But the bond between Andreeva and Martinez goes far deeper than birthday gifts. Just last month at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, Mirra found herself in an emotional moment, playing against her older sister, Erika Andreeva, in her tournament debut. The match ended unexpectedly when Erika was forced to retire because of a knee injury, trailing 6-2, 1-0.

Mirra, though happy with her first win over her sister, was a bit conflicted. “A little bit sad,” she admitted about the way the match ended. Yet, her mood quickly lifted when the interviewer brought up her coach Martinez, setting the stage for a heartwarming moment on court.

With her trademark spark, Mirra grabbed the microphone and broke into a spirited “Happy Birthday!” serenade for Martinez, who had just turned 53 on April 16. “I really wanna embarrass her a little bit!” the then-17-year-old exclaimed, prompting cheers from the German crowd as she sang. Martinez, caught off guard, laughed heartily at the gesture.

While sharing the karaoke story in Rome, Andreeva also reflected on reaching the R16 in Italy, offering a candid take on her progress in the tournament.

Mirra Andreeva’s candid explanation after beating Linda Noskova

In a commanding display of control and composure, Andreeva took charge early in her Italian Open R32 clash against Linda Noskova. With sharp precision and flawless court coverage, the Russian ace raced through the opening set, dominating from the baseline and sealing it convincingly, 6-1. Her calculated aggression and tactical variety left Noskova searching for answers.

The second set brought a different rhythm as Noskova found her footing and began to push back. The Czech international raised her level, forcing Andreeva into tighter rallies. But the 18-year-old held her ground with grit and maturity beyond her years, ultimately capitalizing on key mistakes from Noskova to close out the set 7-5 and avoid a decider.

“I was like, ‘Please, Mirra. Do everything you can. Just don’t go into a third set,’” she joked after the match, reflecting on the tense closing moments. “I felt like in the first set, I was playing well but she also missed a lot. So, my No. 1 goal was just to put as many balls in the court as possible.”

Andreeva credited her evolving game plan for keeping her ahead when Noskova started firing. “In the second set, she started to really play aggressive and her shots started to go in. It was much, much harder to play against her. I tried to focus on trying to run for every ball that she sends, just playing as deep as possible to kind of build the point and create opportunities to attack,” she added.

Next up, she faces Clara Tauson in what promises to be a gripping battle. With her current form and fearless approach, Andreeva may well be eyeing another title before Roland-Garros. Can she pull it off? Share your thoughts in the comments below.