Mirra Andreeva leaned back in her chair, with a playful smile. “Just feels like I’ve known her for a long time,” she admitted at the 2025 Australian Open, speaking about her coach, the former Wimbledon champion Conchita Martínez. She had only joined hands with the Spanish coach a year ago. But Martinez reshaped Andreeva’s game. Under her watchful eye, the 17-year-old stormed into her first Grand Slam semifinal at Roland Garros, claimed her maiden WTA title in Iași, and now, in Dubai, she just lifted her biggest trophy yet: a WTA 1000 crown. After her emphatic triumph, the teenager had nothing, but words of gratitude for Martinez.

Andreeva clinched her first WTA 1000 title at the Dubai Tennis Championship, beating her opponent Clara Tauson in straight sets by 7-6, 6-1. After toppling Grand Slam winners like Elena Rybakina, and Iga Swiatek on her way to the final, the Russian, with her victory against Tauson, became the youngest WTA 1000 champion since the format’s inception in 2009. Post-victory, she was emotional. It was evident in her speech, as she thanked herself: “I’d like to thank me. I just want to thank me for always believing in me,” she remarked.

Andreeva also acknowledged her team and her family’s support. But her most special message came for her Spanish coach. “Especially thanks to Conchita. I know that I can be a pain in the a–. But you have always been there for me and it feels great to lift this title together. And I hope that we can lift many more trophies together,” she added. Andreeva’s words highlighted the constant support she received from Conchita. Their partnership extends beyond the professional barrier, making the Spanish coach not only Andreeva’s mentor but a close confidante. During an interview at the 2025 AO, the Russian said, “I feel very comfortable telling her everything that happens in my life. I don’t know if she wants to hear it, though! But I’m very comfortable sharing with her everything that’s going on.”

Continuing further, she added, “I’m like: ‘OK, well, I’m going to do something that she doesn’t like as well.’ I try to piss her off. She’s like: ‘Oh, my God, what are you doing?’ We start laughing about it and we forget about all of that. I just can be a little pain in the a– sometimes. But she’s doing a good job so far.” 

Although Andreeva shares a fun equation with her coach, she knows that Martinez is immensely committed to her work. “Of course, she’s very professional; she knows when the fun is over and when we need to really put the work in, for example, on the tennis court. When we’re off the tennis court, we can have some fun, but of course, we also need to take it seriously sometimes,” Andreeva said in another interview at the 2025 AO.

But what’s Martinez’s opinion about Andreeva? Well, she rates the Russian prodigy very highly.

Mirra Andreeva’s coach Conchita Martinez thinks she is quite mature already

“I am very impressed by her maturity level. She has a very complete game, but she also has a lot of areas she can improve. That’s what I’m focusing on. I think she’s doing an amazing job,” Martinez previously said, while talking about Andreeva. “It’s very nice to work with her, she is open ears, she is willing to work, willing to do what it takes. I definitely knew she was a young player to watch, she was beating very top players.“

Apart from mutual understanding, another reason behind Andreeva-Martinez’s successful partnership is their aligned thought processes, one that was revealed at the 2025 AO. Andreeva is quite superstitious by nature. During the AO, the 17-year-old admitted to her superstitions about food. “If I start the tournament eating chicken and rice, I cannot change it. Even if I’m tired, I have no choice; I have to eat it. It is dried fruits for Melbourne this year,” she said with a smile.

To support her, Martinez embraced Andreeva’s idiosyncrasies. This Spanish coach once accidentally spilled recovery shake powder on her desk and after that, she started spilling it deliberately before prepping each shake for Andreeva following her victories.

Even when the AO committee introduced optional coaching pods, Martinez echoed Andreeva’s sentiment who welcomed the innovation thinking it would help her refine her game. “It’s great because we can get closer to the players. We have a really good view from there. For us, it’s great to actually be at the end of the court. I mean I can really see the match well. She’s a good energy and, you know, sometimes it’s just a ‘c’mon’, reassuring that she’s doing good,” Martinez said.

For Mirra Andreeva. her coach Conchita Martinez is a steady pillar of support in all her endeavors. Do you think the partnership will help Andreeva bag more titles this season?