Sixteen-year-old WTA star Mirra Andreeva continued her rapid rise on Thursday when she advanced to the third round at Wimbledon. As has become customary over the past few months, two-time champion Andy Murray came up in her press conference.
“I met Andy Murray here. But I'm too shy to talk to him,” Andreeva said. “When I see him, I try to leave the facility super quick just to not to talk to him because I'm super shy.”
Why was Andreeva asked about Murray? It dates back to an interview she gave to Tennis Channel during the Mutua Madrid Open. In speaking about competing in the same tournament as some of the world’s best players, she mentioned being around certain stars including Murray, whom she called “beautiful”.
The moment went viral on social media and Murray caught wind of it.
“Imagine how good she’s going to be when she gets her eyes fixed,” Murray tweeted.
Imagine how good she’s going to be when she gets her eyes fixed 👀🤣😍 https://t.co/t9R4YnMWDk
— Andy Murray (@andy_murray) April 29, 2023
Andreeva was then asked about Murray at Roland Garros.
“I didn't see Andy Murray since Madrid because he is not here, but after he won a challenger, I texted him,” she said, cracking a laugh. “I said, ‘Congratulations.’ He actually answered me, so I was really happy about it. He said, ‘Thank you, and good luck in Roland Garros.’ Maybe that's why I'm playing that good now.”
A reporter followed up about Murray after her second-round match in Paris, too.
“What can I say about Andy Murray? He was just nice,” Andreeva said. “I didn't expect that he would be nice off the court because he always seems, like, so focused and always into himself. So I didn't expect to see him nice, let's say, like open to the people. So he was smiling, and that's what I liked, let's say.”
Although Andreeva was “too shy to talk to him” at Wimbledon, do not rule out a meeting in the future. Murray has long been a strong supporter of WTA players and famously met with Iga Swiatek two years ago on a practice court at the BNP Paribas Open.
Murray and Swiatek at Indian Wells two years ago. Photo: Andrew Eichenholz/ATP Tour
Murray will play Stefanos Tsitsipas in the second round at Wimbledon on Thursday.
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