Mirra Andreeva Reveals Why ‘It’s Not Nice Feelings’ While Playing Against Coco Gauff

Coco Gauff holds a 4-0 head-to-head record against Mirra Andreeva, whom she is projected to meet in the semifinals.

Mirra Andreeva Reveals Why ‘It’s Not Nice Feelings’ While Playing Against Coco Gauff

Mirra Andreeva, Coco Gauff (Image via X/Tennis Channel, We Are Tennis)

Mirra Andreeva will once again be facing Coco Gauff if both players reach the French Open semifinals. Andreeva, in her four matches against the American, never tasted success.

This year they met twice – both in WTA 1000 tournaments. In the quarterfinals of the Madrid Open, Gauff knocked her out in straight sets. In the quarterfinal and in straight sets again, she ended the Russian’s campaign at the Italian Open.

In both these events, Gauff progressed to the final. WTA title, however, has still eluded the 21-year-old. She lost in Madrid to Aryna Sabalenka, who became a three-time champion in the Spanish capital.

In Rome, Gauff succumbed to a straight-set defeat to home favorite Jasmine Paolini. While Gauff is searching for her first singles title since winning the 2024 WTA Finals, Andreeva became a two-time WTA 1000 champion this season by beating Clara Tauson and Sabalenka in the Dubai Open and Indian Wells finals, respectively.

Gauff is 11-3 on clay this season, while the 18-year-old has won seven of her 10 matches on the red dirt. Andreeva, when asked about Gauff in the pre-tournament press conference, said that even if she tries to play aggressively, Gauff’s incredible athleticism makes it difficult for her to win points.

I feel like she’s always there and she’s always running for every ball and she always tries to put one more ball back in the court. It’s not a nice feeling when you play against someone who runs for every ball but I feel like she has a great mental part. I feel like she’s always fighting until the end and fighting for every point.

Andreeva will kick start her campaign on May 26th against Spain’s Cristina Bucsa, who she will face for the first time in her career. Gauff, on the other hand, too will be locking horns with her first-round opponent Olivia Gadecki for the first time in her career.

Coco Gauff names five players who have a shot at the French Open

According to Coco Gauff, Grand Slam tournaments are “pretty open“, that is, any players have a chance to take home the coveted trophies. At the French Open, Iga Swiatek was the undisputed champion in the last few years.

Jasmine Paolini, Coco Gauff, Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek
Jasmine Paolini, Coco Gauff, Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek (Image via X/Jasmine Paolini, We Are Tennis, The Tennis Letter, Relevant Tennis)

But since lifting her fourth Roland Garros title last year, Swiatek has not yet reached a final so she definitely won’t be entering the tournament as the heavy favorite. Aryna Sabalenka has reached six finals this season, winning three titles, including her third Madrid Open title. In Paris, she has not yet reached a final.

And even though Qinwen Zheng has not yet progressed beyond the fourth round in the clay-court Major, she became an Olympic gold medalist at Roland Garros last year. En route to the title, she defeated Swiatek in the semifinal.

Jasmine Paolini was the runner-up in the French Open last year and thanks to her performance on clay, she will be another contender in the ongoing event. According to Gauff, these three players along with Mirra Andreeva are the favorite to win this year’s French Open. She said at the press conference:

Obviously, I hope I’m up there, but there’s Jasmine, Aryna, Iga, Qinwen, Mirra, there are more I can name that all have the opportunity. Who knows, we’ve all seen things like the US Open when Emma [Raducanu] won, so literally anybody can win this tournament.

Gauff last year won the French Open doubles with Katerina Siniakova by beating the Italian pair of Paolini and Sara Errani. In singles, Gauff is a finalist.

She reached the championship match in 2022 but was no match for Swiatek. She could once again face Swiatek in the final but before that, the Pole could meet Paolini in the fourth round and Sabalenka in the semifinals.

Also read: Andy Roddick Predicts How Far Iga Swiatek Will Go at the French Open After Being Handed “The Most Brutal Draw”