Andreeva embraces the attention, memories as Dubai defending champion
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- Coming back to Dubai has a new feeling for Mirra Andreeva.
Then just 17 years old, she notched her statement win last season here on the WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, defeating Clara Tauson 7-6 (1), 6-1 in the final -- her second of now four titles.
Andreeva became the youngest player to win a WTA 1000 crown, and propelled into the top 10 of the PIF WTA Rankings that following Monday, a position she still remains in one year later. Now, she's back, enjoying the defending champion status, the added fame and the memories she made 12 months ago.
"Compared to last year -- obviously now people that maybe are staying here because they see faces of players -- they recognize me more," Andreeva, 18, said Sunday during media day in Dubai. "I don't mind. I kind of like the attention from people, from media. I don't mind when that happens."
"It also feels special when I came to the hotel and I saw my face. It's just nice to see that. That also kind of gives me more motivation to try and play well here and maybe to try and defend the title. When I come next year, my face is there again."
Her success in Dubai last year didn't stop there as she won the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells a few weeks later. Last month, she dominated the Adelaide International field, capped off with a 6-3, 6-1 win over Victoria Mboko to score her first WTA 500 victory.
That was their first ever meeting on the WTA Tour, but their rematch didn't take too long to come to fruition. At the Qatar TotalEnergies Open in Doha last week, the draw forced the two teenagers to meet in the Round of 16.
Mboko prevailed in that match, a thrilling 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (5) victory, but for Andreeva, the defeat was a difficult one, especially having a match point where she double faulted. Andreeva said she did take solace in the fact that Mboko eventually progressed to the final.
"That match was something," Andreeva said. "It was very interesting to play against her. I caught myself that I was actually feeling a lot of adrenaline, a lot of excitement in the third set during the match. That doesn't happen often. I actually enjoyed the match a lot.
"I don't lose a lot of matches from having a match point also, so that was also a little bit tricky to handle after the match. If I were to lose, I don't mind losing to someone who would be playing the final. Now I have to focus on what's going to happen here and my matches in Dubai. We lose every week. It's just important on how you handle those losses and how you head into the next tournament."
Ironically, the two stars could meet again in the Round of 16 in Dubai, too.
The No. 5 seed in this year's edition, Andreeva will have a bye into the second round and awaits the winner of Laura Siegemund and Daria Kasatkina. Despite being the defending champion, Andreeva knows it's a new tournament with different circumstances, and she's anxious to get on the court here in Dubai.
"I'm just super excited to play here," Andreeva said. "Obviously I'm going to do everything I can to try and defend the title because this is the first time I come to the tournament as a defending champion. It's also something new for me. I can't wait to play my first match here and we will see how it goes."