Mirra Andreeva, the Russian tennis sensation, candidly discusses the delicate situation of competing against Ukrainian players in the face of the ongoing geopolitical tensions. Her resolve? To keep her focus razor-sharp and not let external factors sway her concentration, particularly ahead of her upcoming match with Elina Svitolina at Indian Wells.
Andreeva, a newly minted WTA 1000 champion in Dubai, is in splendid form. She demolished 2023 Indian Wells champion Elena Rybakina in a spectacular 6-1, 6-2 victory, propelling her into the quarterfinals. This win also marked her ninth consecutive triumph, bolstering her overall record to a sterling 16-3 in 2025.
The next challenge for Andreeva is a clash with Svitolina, who secured her quarterfinal spot after defeating local favorite and fourth seed, Jessica Pegula, in a thrilling 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 match. This will be a landmark moment for 17-year-old Andreeva, as it is not only her first encounter with the 30-year-old Svitolina, but also her inaugural match against a Ukrainian player in the current year.
Svitolina is a prominent figure among the Ukrainian players and has been vocal about her stance since the conflict began. She has publicly admitted to carrying an added spark of motivation when facing Russian adversaries. Interestingly, neither Svitolina nor her fellow Ukrainian players have maintained the traditional handshake with their Russian or Belarusian counterparts for three years now.
When asked about the potential difficulty or even discomfort of facing Svitolina due to this lack of customary handshake, Andreeva responded, “Of course it’s not easy.” Yet, she’s not unfamiliar with such situations, having played against Ukrainian players in four or five previous matches.
For Andreeva, the strategy is to keep her eyes on the ball, literally and figuratively. She shared, “I just try not to think about it. I just try to focus on my game, to do my routines, to prepare myself that it’s not going to be easy.”
Emphasizing her approach, she stated, “I’m just going to try to prepare for this match as for every other match, and nothing’s going to change for me. So yeah, I’m just going to do my routines and stick to what I have been doing a week before.”
Andreeva’s last contest against a Ukrainian player was with Dayana Yastremska in Bad Homburg last June where she was defeated. As she faces Svitolina next, it’s clear that she’s prepared to keep her game face on, refusing to let political tensions interfere with her performance on the tennis court.