Quote of the Day: Mirra Andreeva imagines the crowd chanting her name, then makes it happen

The 17-year-old, who will face No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka in her first Grand Slam quarterfinal, won over fans at Roland Garros with a cheeky post-match interview.

Some tennis players are just built different.

There are those that might wilt under the harsh spotlights of a big stadium, the jeers of a partisan crowd or the pressures of a Grand Slam—and then there are those who will take it all and use it as fuel for victory.

It’s safe to say Mirra Andreeva falls into the latter category, after her 7-5, 6-1 win over Frenchwoman Varvara Gracheva at Roland Garros sent the 17-year-old into her career first Grand Slam quarterfinal.

Read More: Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina roll into 2024 Roland Garros quarterfinals

“It’s always tough to play a friend and a person you know very well,” Andreeva told Marion Bartoli afterward in their on-court interview. “I knew it was going to be a tough battle, not only game-wise but also mental-wise, and I prepared myself for everything.

“It was a bit tough to play against the French crowd, but I’m really happy that I managed to go through. Thank you for your support—not from everyone, but from some of you!”

Andreeva and Gracheva are good friends and frequent practice partners going back to their junior days. Gracheva was born in Russia but has represented France in competition since 2023 after obtaining nationality, meaning that the Court Suzanne Lenglen crowd was fully behind their player during the pair’s fourth-round encounter. But the more they cheered for Varvara, the more that Mirra seemed to surge ahead—riding the wave of support all the way to victory.