Mirra Andreeva Keeps Up Tradition of Thanking Herself After Roland Garros Triumph: “Only I Know How Tough It Was for Me”

Mirra Andreeva is now a Grand Slam champion. On Saturday (June 6), the Russian ace cruised past Maja Chwalinska 6-3, 6-2 in the Roland Garros final, becoming the first Russian woman to win a Major singles title since Maria Sharapova‘s victory here in 2014.

She dropped just one set en route to the victory. It was against qualifier Marina Bassols Ribera in the second round. Andreeva, also the youngest champion in Paris since Monica Seles in 1992, kept up the tradition of thanking herself in her winner’s speeches.

Last but not least, I also wanna thank myself for believing in myself… Always giving my 100% even when it’s tough. Trying every day to be better as a person and as a player. Believing I can do this. Fighting so many demons inside of me. Only I know how tough it was for me. How nervous I was these last few weeks… Also, thanks to myself for working so hard and giving my best.

Andreeva also played her career’s first Grand Slam final. In the semifinal, she ended Marta Kostyuk‘s 17-match winning streak. Prior to this French Open, the 19-year-old had progressed to just one Major semifinal, and it was in the French capital back in 2024, when she lost to Jasmine Paolini, while last year, home favorite Lois Boisson eliminated her in the quarterfinals.

But Chwalinska made the main draw rounds of the Majors just twice before this Roland Garros. Because of her run to the final, the 24-year-old, who used to be outside of the top 100 last year, will reach her career-best No.21 ranking on Monday. Andreeva will be ranked No.6.

Mirra Andreeva explains why she was nervous before facing Maja Chwalinska

Maja Chwalinska made her Roland Garros debut by eliminating none other than 2024 Paris Olympics champion Qinwen Zheng. She then defeated three seeded players: Elise Mertens in the second round, Anna Kalinskaya in the quarterfinals, and Diana Shnaider in the semifinals. Mirra Andreeva, at the press conference after her win, admitted that she was nervous before facing Chwalinska.

Maja, she’s been playing amazing for three weeks. I think that it’s very, very hard to pass qualis and to go all the way to the finals, playing on a very high level. So, obviously I was very nervous because I’ve never played against her. So, I kind of knew her game style of what Conchita [Martinez] told me, but it’s very different when you play an opponent that you’ve never played before, especially in the final of a Grand Slam.

Next is the grass swing. Andreeva, the winner of three hard-court and three clay-court titles, has never reached a final on grass.

So, obviously, I was very nervous, and I also think that the conditions today were very, very hard, very tricky because a lot of wind that is blowing, you know, both directions. I couldn’t understand at some point which way the wind was going, and I’m just happy that I’ve dealt with these conditions and adjusted to the conditions maybe a little bit faster than she did.

Mirra Andreeva added

At Wimbledon, Andreeva is a one-time quarterfinalist, reaching the stage last year and losing the match to Belinda Bencic. Andreeva clinched her third title of the season in the French capital.

She first lifted the Adelaide International against Victoria Mboko and then beat Anastasia Potapova in the Linz Open final. But in Madrid, Marta Kostyuk dashed her hope of winning her third WTA 1000 of her career. Andreeva now holds three Big Titles. Last year, she lifted the Dubai Tennis Championships and the Indian Wells Open.

Also read: Venus Williams Backs Maja Chwalinska to Complete Fairytale Run at Roland Garros: “It’s Definitely a Cinderella Story”