“I feel very comfortable telling her everything that happens in my life. I don’t know if she wants to hear it, though!” said Mirra Andreeva about her coach, Conchita Martinez. And the opposite is also true—when the 17-year-old tennis star listens to Martinez’s stories from her time on tour “a long, long time ago.” Off-court, they have a great time. But on the court, it’s all business. And it’s working. Andreeva has now won back-to-back WTA 1000 titles, a feat that has caught the attention of tennis greats. Now, ATP legend Boris Becker is all praises for this dynamic duo!

At the Indian Wells final, the Russian teenager pulled off a stunning comeback to take down World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka 2-6, 6-4, 6-3. The victory marked her second WTA 1000 title in a row after winning in Dubai just weeks earlier. At just 17, she has become the youngest WTA 1000 champion in history. The win also pushed her ranking to World No.6, the highest of her career, so far.

But it gets better!

This triumph has an extra layer of significance when you factor in her coach’s history in Indian Wells. Martinez reached the final twice, in 1992 and 1996, but fell short at both times against World No.1 opponents—Monica Seles and Steffi Graf, respectively. Her protégé, however, managed to do what she couldn’t: take down a No.1 player in an Indian Wells final.

Now, tennis icon Boris Becker is reacting to this sweet victory. The six-time Grand Slam champion took to X to express his admiration. “So much respect for Conchita! She is one of the very best coaches tennis has ever seen! Mirra is lucky girl to have her in her corner! Now go and win more tournaments together… We can’t wait!” Becker wrote.

To those unaware, Conchita Martinez is a 1994 Wimbledon champion and hones the skills of top players. The Spaniard played a crucial role in Garbiñe Muguruza’s rise to No.1 and worked with Karolina Pliskova. After joining Andreeva’s camp in early 2024, Martinez helped her young charge make an impressive run to the French Open semifinals, her best result at a Grand Slam.

Soon after, the 17-year-old claimed her first WTA title at the Iasi Open under her tutelage. Now, with two Masters 1000 titles under her belt, her progress is undeniable.

But while Martinez certainly deserves credit, Andreeva has someone else she wants to thank—herself.

Mirra Andreeva thanks herself in Snoop Dog style again

After her Indian Wells victory, Mirra Andreeva delivered another self-appreciation speech, much like the one she gave in Dubai. Channeling Snoop Dogg’s now-iconic 2018 Hollywood Walk of Fame speech, she told the roaring crowd, “Last but not least, I would again like to thank myself for fighting until the end, for always believing in me, and for never quitting.”

It wasn’t the first time she gave herself a shoutout. The now World No.6 defeated Clara Tauson 7-6,6-1 in a dominating fashion to grab her first WTA 1000 victory.

After winning the Dubai Tennis Championships in February, she made a similar statement and said, “I’d like to thank me. I know what I’ve been dealing with, so I want to thank me for always believing in me. I want to thank me for never quitting and always dealing with the pressure. Today was not easy, but I chose to be there 100%, so I thank myself for that.”

This victory will have to be short-lived, though. The Russian tennis sensation is already heading to Miami for the second leg of the Sunshine Double.

If she pulls off another win, she will join an elite group of players who have completed the Sunshine Double: Steffi Graf (1994, 1996), Kim Clijsters (2005), Victoria Azarenka (2016), and Iga Swiatek (2022). Can she make history once again?