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

Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Mirra Andreeva's catchphrase was written on the front and back of her black jacket By Emily Salley BBC Sport journalist Published 22 minutes ago "I want to thank myself." That was the phrase emblazoned on Mirra Andreeva's jacket as she lifted her first Grand Slam trophy at the French Open. After a dominant 6-3 6-2 victory over Polish qualifier Maja Chwalinska that made the 19-year-old the youngest woman to win the Roland Garros singles title since Monica Seles in 1992, Andreeva rattled off a lengthy list of thank yous. She started by showing her gratitude to Chwalinska, before moving onto tournament organisers and her team - including her coach, former French Open finalist Conchita Martinez. But Andreeva reserved the final - and most important - thanks for herself. "I also want to thank myself for believing in myself," she said. "For giving 100% even when it's been tough, trying every day to be better as a person and a player, believing I can do this, fighting so many demons inside of me. "Only I know how tough it was for me and how nervous I was these past two weeks, so thanks to me for working so hard and giving my best." Andreeva has thanked herself after many of her title triumphs - a twist on a quote she "stole" from rapper Snoop Dogg. "In the beginning I just said it so everyone would laugh at how funny I am," Andreeva joked. "Then after I realised: why not thank yourself? Because you are the one that works, you are the one doing the job, you're the one that's feeling all the nerves." Andreeva wins French Open as Chwalinska fairytale ends Published 4 hours ago '18 years of patience and perseverance' pay off for Chwalinska Published 1 hour ago How 'a big stop sign' helped overcome outbursts A former world number one in juniors, Andreeva has long been tipped for Grand Slam success. However, she was sometimes hindered by emotional outbursts on court that took her focus away from the match in front of her. Last year, Andreeva combusted in her Roland Garros quarter-final defeat by French home hope Lois Boisson in front of a partisan crowd , while she smashed a racquet and swore at the crowd at Indian Wells just a few months ago. That kind of behaviour has not been on show at this year's Roland Garros. Even in the final, when Chwalinska's unpredictability coupled with the blustery conditions posed problems, Andreeva kept her composure to deliver a remarkably mature performance. Another one of the teenager's thank-yous went to her psychologist, Alexis Castorri, who previously worked with Andy Murray. She said he had told her to "imagine a big stop sign" when her emotions threatened to come to the fore. "My psychologist says you can always choose how you're going to be on the court, how you're going to play and who you're going to be as a person as well. I decided to choose to be a fighter," she said. "I watched a lot of Roger [Federer's] matches here. No-one is going to have the same aura but I really want

Raselaman1973

Andreevas journey exemplifies resilience and perseverance. Her path to Grand Slam glory is a testament to the importance of dedication and strategic planning in achieving ones goals. Her story encourages us to push beyond our perceived limits and never underestimate the power of hard work and determination.

Jun 6, 2026 8:24 pm