Eighteen-year-old Russian tennis player Mirra Andreeva has identified Novak Djokovic as her ultimate role model, citing his discipline and resilience. In a recent interview, she detailed her admiration amid struggles in the Dubai Tennis Championships. Andreeva draws parallels between her emotional challenges and Djokovic's early career setbacks.
Mirra Andreeva, an 18-year-old Russian tennis player, has expressed deep admiration for Novak Djokovic, viewing him as the standard for her career. Despite recent underwhelming performances in three tournaments, Andreeva has secured a title this season and continues to rise in the sport.
In an interview with Championnat, Andreeva explained her connection to Djokovic: “I admire Novak for his aura, his ability to overcome difficulties, his discipline, and his adaptability to any situation. Even during the Nadal and Federer era, I identified more with Novak. I identify with him because I had a strong sense of discipline, the ability to find solutions, and to rise to every challenge.” She emphasized not just his 24 Grand Slam titles but his survival instinct in tough situations, a trait she aims to develop.
Andreeva's respect dates back to age 16 at the French Open, where she shared ambitious goals inspired by Djokovic: “The dream. I know that Djokovic, he did 22 Grand Slams or 23, so I want to go until 25, if it will be possible… For now, my goal is to win match by match.” She recalled their first meeting near Court Suzanne Lenglen, noting Djokovic's relaxed demeanor as he sang a song en route to the locker room.
In 2024, during a victory over Varvara Gracheva, Andreeva adopted a Djokovic-like mindset against crowd opposition: “When people cheer super hard against me, I just imagine they scream my name.” This mirrors Djokovic's approach in the 2019 Wimbledon final against Roger Federer: “When the crowd is chanting ‘Roger,’ I hear ‘Novak’… I try to convince myself that it’s like that,” which helped him win the longest final in tournament history.
Andreeva's recent Dubai Tennis Championships quarterfinal against Amanda Anisimova highlighted her emotional struggles. After taking the first set 6-2, she lost the second 5-7 and, broken at 3-3 in the third, hit herself in frustration before falling 6(4)-7. Anisimova responded empathetically: “It was such a tough battle… Seeing Mirra down like that, it’s understandable… I feel like we both won on the court today.”
Earlier in 2025 at Indian Wells, Andreeva defeated world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka for her second straight WTA title but vented frustration by launching a ball into the stands. She has since begun working with a sports psychologist, stating: “I have some new tips… how to work with my anger inside, what to do when I don’t feel great, how to maintain my level when I feel great.”
These incidents parallel Djokovic's early career volatility, including racket-smashing in the 2016 Shanghai Masters, a mid-match breakage at the 2020 Italian Open, default from the 2020 US Open after hitting a line judge, and a code violation at the 2025 Geneva Open. Djokovic has acknowledged his imperfections: “Of course I’m not perfect, and I’m doing my best.” Both players have faced scrutiny but use these experiences for growth, with Djokovic evolving into a mentally resilient competitor after struggles around 2005-06.
