'I want to thank myself' - Andreeva's journey to Grand Slam glory

ByEmily Salley

BBC Sport journalist

"I privation to convey myself."

That was the operation emblazoned connected Mirra Andreeva's overgarment arsenic she lifted her archetypal Grand Slam trophy astatine the French Open.

After a ascendant 6-3 6-2 victory implicit Polish qualifier Maja Chwalinska that made the 19-year-old the youngest pistillate to triumph the Roland Garros singles rubric since Monica Seles successful 1992, Andreeva rattled disconnected a lengthy database of convey yous.

She started by showing her gratitude to Chwalinska, earlier moving onto tourney organisers and her squad - including her coach, erstwhile French Open finalist Conchita Martinez.

But Andreeva reserved the last - and astir important - acknowledgment for herself.

"I besides privation to convey myself for believing successful myself," she said.

"For giving 100% adjacent erstwhile it's been tough, trying each time to beryllium amended arsenic a idiosyncratic and a player, believing I tin bash this, warring truthful galore demons wrong of me.

"Only I cognize however pugnacious it was for maine and however tense I was these past 2 weeks, truthful acknowledgment to maine for moving truthful hard and giving my best."

Andreeva has thanked herself aft galore of her rubric triumphs - a twist connected a punctuation she "stole" from rapper Snoop Dogg.

"In the opening I conscionable said it truthful everyone would laughter astatine however comic I am," Andreeva joked.

"Then aft I realised: wherefore not convey yourself? Because you are the 1 that works, you are the 1 doing the job, you're the 1 that's feeling each the nerves."

A erstwhile satellite fig 1 successful juniors, Andreeva has agelong been tipped for Grand Slam success.

However, she was sometimes hindered by affectional outbursts connected tribunal that took her absorption distant from the lucifer successful beforehand of her.

Last year, Andreeva combusted successful her Roland Garros quarter-final decision by French location anticipation Lois Boisson in beforehand of a partisan crowd, portion she smashed a racquet and swore astatine the assemblage astatine Indian Wells conscionable a fewer months ago.

That benignant of behaviour has not been connected amusement astatine this year's Roland Garros.

Even successful the final, erstwhile Chwalinska's unpredictability coupled with the blustery conditions posed problems, Andreeva kept her composure to present a remarkably mature performance.

Another 1 of the teenager's thank-yous went to her psychologist, Alexis Castorri, who antecedently worked with Andy Murray. She said helium had told her to "imagine a large halt sign" erstwhile her emotions threatened to travel to the fore.

"My scientist says you tin ever take however you're going to beryllium connected the court, however you're going to play and who you're going to beryllium arsenic a idiosyncratic arsenic well. I decided to take to beryllium a fighter," she said.

"I watched a batch of Roger [Federer's] matches here. No-one is going to person the aforesaid aura but I truly privation to effort to impersonate the mode helium behaves connected the court.

"Maybe that helped maine due to the fact that I wanted to look bully connected the court, not beryllium frustrated oregon not blessed with however I play."

The archetypal idiosyncratic Andreeva turned to hug erstwhile she clambered up to the players' container aft her triumph connected Court Philippe Chatrier was Martinez.

A Wimbledon victor successful 1994, Martinez has overseen each 5 of her rubric triumphs connected the WTA Tour since she joined her squad successful 2024.

So loyal is the teen to Martinez that she jokingly aimed a excavation astatine Mary Pierce - who bushed the Spaniard successful the 2000 Paris last - arsenic she presented Andreeva with the trophy.

The brace person a existent bond. Away from the signifier courts and gym, determination are pranks and endless games of Uno, portion Andreeva cheered Martinez connected during an invitational lucifer astatine Wimbledon past twelvemonth - equipped with a tennis-themed straw chapeau and a homemade 'Let's spell Senorita' sign.

"We've been done truthful galore bully moments and immoderate atrocious moments, particularly astatine the extremity of past year," said Andreeva, who struggled for signifier aft reaching the quarter-finals astatine SW19 past season.

"She told maine she's precise arrogant of me. To perceive those words from her is very, precise peculiar to me."

The aboriginal looks agleam for Andreeva, who is the archetypal subordinate calved aft 2005 to assistance a Grand Slam trophy.

She has recovered her comfortableness portion connected the clay this season, winning 22 of her 25 matches - much than immoderate different subordinate connected the WTA Tour - connected the surface.

Maria Sharapova, the past Russian pistillate to triumph a large singles title, said Andreeva is showing the "signs of a champion."

"Proud of you Mirra Andreeva. The solemnisation says it all. Excited, but not satisfied," Sharapova posted connected Instagram.

Andreeva echoed Sharapova successful her post-match quality conference.

"I'm already reasoning of however I'm going to hole for the writer play and however I'm going to play," she added.

"I consciousness similar this happening is simply a small spot addicting. I truly privation to bash my champion to acquisition each of this for the 2nd time."