“You know, it’s great to win a tournament, but it’s also not great because you feel more pressure…” said Mirra Andreeva as she walked through the tunnel and towards the chaos outside after winning a maiden WTA 1000 title in Dubai last month. The teen tornado is not squandering any winning chances. Riding on the back of high spirits, she capped another feather to her elusive feats by becoming the third youngest player under 18 to claim the Indian Wells title after Martina Hingis in 1998 and Serena Williams in 1999.  Not just that, Andreeva also became the second-youngest player to defeat the top 2 players in the world in the same tournament. After conquering the desert, the Russian referenced a popular rap artist for the second time in just as many weeks!

On Sunday, March 16, Andreeva came back from a set down to overpower World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka 2-6, 6-4, 6-3, in dramatic fashion in the Indian Wells final. After conquering the desert and improving to a 19-3 record this season, the Russian player addressed the roaring Californian crowd with a few words that encapsulated her powerful feelings. Notably, the heartwarming post-match speech came as a shoutout to the American rap star Snoop Dogg, who delivered an iconic quote nearly seven years ago.

“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,” said Andreeva. For those unaware, in his 2018 Hollywood Walk of Fame induction speech, the Drop It Like It’s Hot hitmaker grabbed the spotlight for his ‘I want to thank me’ candid admission, initially sparking laughter from the crowd.

However, when he continued saying, “I want to thank me for doing all this hard work. I want to thank me for having no days off. I want to thank me for never quitting. I want to thank me for always being a giver and trying to give more than I receive. I want to thank me for trying to do more right and wrong. I want to thank me for just being me at all times,” the masses knew he was keeping it real.

Andreeva delivered a similar speech after outclassing Clara Tauson to claim the Dubai Tennis Championships earlier in February this year. She 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.” And she did it again after the Indian Wells final.

Not to be outdone, even Sabalenka had a way with words during the trophy presentation speech in Tennis Paradise.

Aryna Sabalenka leaves Mirra Andreeva with a parting shot in Indian Wells

Although Aryna Sabalenka finished second best at the BNP Paribas Open, she came out as a winner on the mic, or at least she tried. Having finished with the Indian Wells smaller Baccarat Crystal runner-up trophy for the second time, the World No. 1 quipped that two runners-up trophies would make for a winner’s trophy.

Hilariously filing her admission under #GirlMath, she said: “I kind of have a love, hate relationship with this place. I’ll just put this trophy on top of another one and just pretend it’s going to be a trophy for the winning. It’s going to be quite similar size.”

Sabalenka later praised the teenager’s victory and stated how Mirra Andreeva was fortunate to have found the right team, hilariously comparing her situation back in the day with that of Mirra. “Congrats on having a great team. If I had the same team you have at your age, I’d probably be a better player by now! At your age, I was struggling with finding the right coach, but you’ve got it so much earlier; that’s why you’re doing so well. It’s amazing to see your success,” the Belarusian added.

To conclude, the WTA ranking leader joked that Andreeva may not end up being particularly happy when they clash next time. “I’ll meet you next time on court, and probably, next time, it’s not going to be your way.”

With two runner-up finishes for the season now, the first being her Australian Open heartbreak to Madison Keys in January, Sabalenka must be keen for another title soon. The 26-year-old will look to turn it around in the second phase of the Sunshine Double at the Miami Open, which is slated to commence on March 19.