The next Hingis? Meet Mirra Andreeva, the 17yo star of the French Open

While the French Open may be over, several players have left a lasting impression on fans after their fortnight at Porte d'Auteuil, including the young semi-finalist Mirra Andreeva.

The player, who had her best run in a Grand Slam tournament at Roland Garros, is particularly headline-worthy as she is only 17 years old.

And despite her young age, the Russian managed to dispose of the world number 2, Aryna Sabalenka, in the quarter-final. But who is this young player who is set to shake up the hierarchy of women's tennis in the coming years?

Mirra Andreeva has a sister, Erika, who started playing tennis at a young age, inspiring little Mirra to take up the sport when she was 6 years old.

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With the two young players demonstrating excellent ability in the game, their parents decided to move to the Russian capital, Moscow, to benefit from better infrastructures, such as courts and access to coaches, to improve their progress.

Already a strong player in her teenage years, Andreeva made her very first appearance on the WTA circuit in Monastir in 2022, after receiving an invitation at just 15 years old.

She then made a strong impression by playing three sets against Anastasia Potapova, with her raw, natural talent impressing everyone in attendance.

She made her second appearance at the WTA 1000 in Madrid in 2023 at 16, after another invitation, and this time the results were excellent.

Andreeva beat Leylah Fernandez, Beatriz Haddad Maia and Magda Linette in quick succession before being stopped by Sabalenka. An exceptional run that demonstrated her potential on the tour.

A few weeks later, she came out of qualifying at the French Open and was eliminated in the third round against Coco Gauff.

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She improved again at Wimbledon, reaching the round of 16 before losing to Madison Keys after a match in three sets. Andreeva was clearly getting used to the big match environment.

Thanks to these results, the Russian climbed the rankings, which allowed her to play more and more tournaments on the WTA circuit, gaining experience and confidence match after match.

As a result, she was primed for the occasion once she got to the 2024 edition of the French Open – achieving her best performance to date in a Grand Slam tournament and making history in the process.

Indeed, by reaching the semi-final on Parisian clay, Andreeva became the second-youngest player in history to reach this stage of the competition in a Grand Slam tournament since Martina Hingis, who did so at the Australian Open in 1997, at age 16.

A dazzling progression that is likely to continue in the years to come, and which could also result in a clear progression in the world rankings.

Thanks to her performance at the French Open, Andreeva is already guaranteed to enter the world top 30, but this feat will have to be repeated at Wimbledon, to avoid falling in the rankings, after reaching the round of 16 in 2023.

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