Mirra Andreeva is quickly becoming a name to remember on the tennis circuit. This young prodigy is not just playing—she’s making waves, turning heads with every match. Her recent performances have been nothing short of spectacular, and her form at the Cincinnati Masters is just another testament to her rising stardom. But even as she dazzles on the court, there’s a touch of innocence that reminds us she’s still just a teenager navigating a world dominated by seasoned pros. Amidst her dominant run, Andreeva found herself with a small yet heartfelt complaint directed at the organizers.

Andreeva ousted Karolína Pliskova in the second round of the tournament in straight sets, 6-2, 6-3. The Russian teenager expressed her newfound love for the hard courts while engaging in an interview with the Tennis Channel post her victory. However, this fascination did not go unaccompanied by a touch of disappointment.

Speaking in the interview, Andreeva said, “Honestly, I really like the courts now. They are fast but they are soft and I feel very very comfortable playing on them.” However, she expressed her disappointment over not being able to play on the show courts. “Even though I was hoping to play on a bigger court but, you know, court No. 10 was amazing as well. So yeah, it was just amazing energy out there today.” Andreeva’s desires probably emerged from the previous match she played on a bigger court. 

Facing Emma Navarro in the first round, the Russian sensation demonstrated her skills on the Centre court. While she might have been expecting a similar venue, she was made to compete on the outside courts. But as she gears up to face Jasmine Paolini, the match may take place on the Centre Court or the grandstand, given the high-stakes clash. Has Andreeva overcome the struggles of playing on a bigger court, though?

Andreeva faced Aryna Sabalenka at a “bigger court” in the French Open quarterfinal when the duo played on Court Philippe-Chatrier. The young player was clearly perplexed during the match and she admitted to her concerns of playing on such courts. “I was very nervous before the match, as it’s the first time for me when I’m playing on a big court,” said the Russian teen. “So, I kind of expected the crowd will be cheering for her and she will have a little advantage mental-wise and game-wise,” she added.

However, she seems to have evolved now and is aspiring to achieve big in her career. As she continues her streak, what remains to be seen is whether she will come out of her bias against hard courts or not.

When Andreeva preferred clay courts over hard courts despite amazing records 

For every tennis player, the surface has an immense role to play when it comes to their success. Some thrive better on clay and hard courts, while others excel on grass. The situation is no different for Andreeva, who has continued to remain biased towards clay courts despite winning sensationally on hard courts. Andreeva won her first two matches at the Cincinnati Open in straight sets. But, she has continued to believe in her prowess on clay courts.

Andreeva engaged in an interview with Tennis Channel ahead of her second-round match and said, “I struggle pretty much with hard court, especially when it’s like this. It’s fast. So that’s why I come in advance.” While Andreeva’s comparative record on both surfaces aligns with her preferences, her performance on the hard courts is not mediocre either. 

With a 76% win rate, Andreeva has won 16 of the 21 matches she has played on clay this season. But she has performed equally well on hard courts. In the current season, the Russian tennis star has played 12 matches on hard courts and has won 8 of them so far. This takes her win percentage on the surface to somewhere closer to 66.66 percent. 

As the season progresses, it would be interesting to see if the star player can continue her run and win big on hard courts as well. Will she be able to overcome the crux?