At daggers drawn? Sisters Erika and Mirra Andreeva faced off in the Round of 32 at the 2024 Wuhan Open. Even before the match began, Mirra Andreeva humorously referred to it as a ‘nightmare.’ The reason? Not only because of the psychological dynamics at play but also due to Erika’s deep familiarity with her game. Having played together since childhood, this match was always going to be a challenge. Did Mirra rise to the occasion? Surprisingly, the world No. 19 was defeated by Erika, with a score of 3-6, 1-6. How did the sisters react after this epic contest?

Well, well, there were no celebrations! Instead, we saw them simply giving each other a wordless hug of comfort at the net. Mirra Andreeva even seemed to have lost her cool a bit as she was spotted smashing a ball literally out of the stadium after losing the match to her elder sister. Speaking about this iconic match against her younger sister, Erika said, “It was tough for both of us. First experience, and both of us were happy it happened at a big tournament. But I’m not sure we enjoyed it.” Irrespective of the result of this match, these two sisters have managed to put their names in the history of women’s tennis. They have become the third pair of sisters to face each other in a WTA Main draw in the past decade.

Who were the other two? Before them, the Williams and Pliskova sisters achieved this feat in the women’s Tour. Furthermore, while reflecting on her thoughts in this match, Erika Andreeva added, “We played each other in childhood a lot, I know where she will most possibly go, and she as well. Sometimes during the rally, I was like, ‘Normally I go there, but I know that she knows that I go there,’ and I changed my decision. I’m not sure that was the best choice sometimes.” Is this why Mirra Andreeva called this matchup a “nightmare?” Perhaps, yes!

During a previous press conference at the Wuhan Open, Mirra Andreeva admitted she couldn’t recall the last time she defeated her older sister, Erika. Now, it seems her wait has only gotten longer! According to Mirra, Erika has introduced several changes to her game recently. What are those changes she mentioned before the match? Let’s also explore what the sisters think are the key differences between them, both on and off the court.

“I’m an extrovert and she’s introvert” – Mirra Andreeva on her elder sister, Erika Andreeva

Talking about their on-court style first, Mirra Andreeva considers that her elder sister is more like a powerful player like Iga Swiatek. While on the other hand, she considers her crafty game style to be quite similar to Ons Jabeur’s. “I feel like now she’s (Erika) more aggressive. I change the rhythm a lot. I just play in the moment,” said Mirra Andreeva. Before the match, we heard the 17-year-old say, “Doesn’t matter the score, doesn’t matter the situation. She will just go for it, yeah, do whatever it takes to win. Me, I’m more kind of see what happens, then we’re going to decide, all of that.” Mirra claimed this match is always going to be a bit nervy for their family and guess what? 

No one among the fans perhaps expected the world number 70, Erika Andreeva to topple the number 19, Mirra Andreeva! So, this match was literally a “nightmare” to some and entertaining to others. According to Mirra Andreeva’s keen observations, her elder sister has changed her playing style a bit. She feels Erika Andreeva has now become smarter with her play these days. We saw a reflection of that in their recent encounter and no wonder why Mirra was looking a bit concerned time and again before this match!

What about their difference in personalities off the court? According to Mirra Andreeva, “I’m an extrovert and she’s introvert…For example, if there would be a choice to go somewhere to have fun or to stay in my bed, I would choose to stay in my bed. She will not even think about it! She will always stay at home and just do something alone or with the family.” However, she revealed that if she sees that her elder sister is unhappy or worried, she also starts to get worried for her. This indeed stops her from playing her natural game. A similar thing happens with Erika Andreeva, said the younger sister.

“We’re just kind of too worried about each other when we practice when something goes wrong and we cannot focus on ourselves,” said Mirra Andreeva. The love and concern they share for each other is truly quite remarkable. Share your thoughts on the tennis journey of the Andreeva sisters.