Mirra Andreeva has long drawn inspiration from NBA legend LeBron James, often quoting his pearls of wisdom in the post-match interviews. After her historic triumph at the Dubai Championships, where the Russian became the youngest-ever WTA 1000 champion at just 17, she once again channeled LeBron’s mindset. “I’ve been listening to a lot of LeBron James interviews & he said that It’s easy to be confident & play good, when everything goes your way, but what makes you a champion is when you’re giving your best when you don’t feel great,” she recalled, embodying the very essence of resilience. And, her admiration for LeBron didn’t go unnoticed. Following her thrilling victory over Aryna Sabalenka at Indian Wells where she once again mentioned the NBA icon, Andreeva received an unexpected shout-out from King James himself. And her response? Pure joy.

Speaking in her post-match interview after her 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 triumph against Sabalenka, Andreeva admitted she recalled an old interview from the 4-time NBA MVP when she was trailing, using it as motivation to turn the match around. “He was saying that even if you don’t play your 100%, or even if you don’t feel like you’re there 100% physically, I’m going to choose to be 100% mentally. He said that that’s what makes us champions, so I kind of tried to do the same. It didn’t really work in the beginning, but with some time, in the end, I managed to overcome that, really tried to go for my shots and act like one of the legends,” Mirra said.

And guess what? LeBron shared her remark on his IG story, saying, “Congratulations! Happy to have helped. But honestly, YOU did THAT!! All your hard work, drive, and dedication toward your craft. KEEP GOING! strive for greatness.” Now, after securing her R64 win at the Miami Open, the 17-year-old sensation shared a lighthearted yet heartfelt remark about what she plans to do with LeBron’s recognition.

The teenager cheekily remarked, “I think I am gonna frame it. I already have Andy Murray’s tweet framed so I think I am gonna try to do the same because you know it’s always nice to have it close to yourself so I am going to frame it and it’s gonna travel with me all the time.” Well, that will truly honor an icon like LeBron. But hey what about Andreeva’s performance in her Miami Open opener? How did she go?

Making her debut in the Miami Open, the Russian ace Mirra Andreeva faced a double challenge: her first match at the tournament and a showdown against former top 10 seed Veronika Kudermetova. The pressure was on, but Mirra dominantly rose to the occasion, storming through the first nine games to establish a commanding 6-0, 3-0 lead. 

Though Kudermetova finally managed to hold serve twice, Andreeva remained unfazed, delivering the final blow with a decisive break to wrap up a stunning 68-minute win. And right after the match, the rising star shared her thoughts on her statement-making performance at the opening round.

“Need a little bit more time” —Mirra Andreeva shared her honest opinion after the opening round match

Andreeva’s victory against Kudermetova wasn’t just any other victory: it was historic, as she became the first player, male or female, to notch 20 wins in 2025, surpassing WTA powerhouses like Iga Swiatek and Madison Keys, as well as ATP standout from Canada, Felix Auger-Aliassime. The teenage phenom struck 15 winners and committed just 9 unforced errors in the match. Riding high on confidence, she shed light on her performance.

“Honestly, I felt like I still need a little bit more time to get used to the conditions, so I just tried to put as many balls in the court as I can, and tried to defend. She was serving great and hitting really deep and great shots, so I just had to hang in there. But it felt good, I’ll be honest,” Mirra said at the post-match press conference.

This victory also marked the Russian’s 13th consecutive triumph, an incredible streak that has seen her dominate the WTA circuit lately. Next up for her is the 17th seed Amanda Anisimova, a formidable opponent who recently captured her first WTA 1000 crown in Doha as well.

With both players in peak form, their R32 clash promises fireworks. Andreeva’s fearless game and relentless energy make her the favorite, but Anisimova has the experience and firepower to cause an upset as well. Will Mirra’s winning streak continue, or will the American ace halt the teenager’s march? What do you think?