Mirra Andreeva, 16, charms the Melbourne crowd after Aussie Open upset

First she won the match, then she won the crowd. After scoring her first Top 10 win with a 6-0, 6-2 rout of No.6 seed Ons Jabeur

View Profile at the Australian Open, 16-year-old Mirra Andreeva

View Profile charmed the Rod Laver Arena crowd in her on-court interview.

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Asked by Laura Robson how she had most changed since losing the girls' final on the same court last year, the teenager highlighted her maturity. When Robson pointed out that she was still only 16, Andreeva's response drew laughter all round.

"That's true -- but last year, I was 15!"

No.47-ranked Andreeva also said she had been nervous ahead of facing Jabeur, a player whose entertaining style she had always admired and made sure to watch. There had been no such nerves ahead of another of Andreeva's Melbourne highlights this week, though.

The previous day, she had met some of Australia's varied wildlife -- a promotional activity she had made sure to circle in the calendar.

"I had to be here to watch all the animals and to hold the snake," Andreeva told Robson. "And I did, with my agent. He was so scared, but I forced him to do it."