Mirra Andreeva a changé de statut. Oui, la Russe est toujours l'une des joueuses les plus jeunes du tableau final de Roland-Garros, mais après sa demu-finale l'an passé et son arrivée fracassante dans le Top 10 en début de saison, la jeune joueuse est désormais très attendue. Notons que son dernier souvenir sur le Central parisien était sa médaille d'argent en double lors des Jeux olympiques, en août dernier, avec Diana Shnaider.
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00:00BNP Paribas, partenaire des plus belles histoires de Roland Garros, aux côtés des ramasseurs de balles depuis plus de 50 ans.
00:30I was just wondering, you're often playing singles and doubles in big tournaments, usually players complain about how packed the schedule is but still, I mean you're still young but you choose to play both competitions, what kind of benefits do you draw out of this, does it help you when you play doubles does it help you in your singles match?
00:57Yeah, I feel like with playing doubles I also improve, I kind of know what to do better, I feel myself more comfortable like at the net or I don't know with some tricky shots on the court when I play singles so I think that doubles it helps me a lot and yeah of course I've dealt with a little bit difficulties with the schedule but if I decide to play singles and doubles then I have to be ready for it.
01:25So I play, I kind of play doubles at my own risk but I love it and so far I'm just going to play singles and doubles on every big tournament, like thousands and slams.
01:38You've lived here in this country for a while, I'm sort of curious like how French do you feel and is there like a French version of your personality that comes out in a certain way or how does it show itself if there is?
01:59It's actually an interesting question but I think that if maybe I would have lived here a little longer, maybe yes but I feel like I didn't spend a lot of time really to kind of create a French mirror so I don't know, I feel like all the time I'm still the same me, maybe just, yeah maybe when I'm just with my family or parents I can be a little bit more relaxed and kind of a little bit more myself.
02:29But most of the time it's just same old me, doesn't matter where I am.
02:36What special memories do you have from the last summer when you won the silver medal in Olympics here?
02:47Yeah, when I came here and my first practice was with Diana, so we came here and I think our first thought was it's like we never left, like the time passed super quickly and the memories are amazing and my first practice was with her and we just kind of had some flashbacks practicing on Philippe Chatria court.
03:13So, yeah, the memories were great and I always remember that time with a smile on my face and I think that it was a great experience for us.
03:23So, yeah, I just, I can't wait for the next Olympics but we have to wait what, like four years now?
03:30So, we just have to kind of, I guess, take it slowly and then we'll see.
03:37We'll see.
03:38Next English question.
03:39Gavin?
03:40Hi, Mira.
03:41Obviously, you've had so much success in the last 12 months and your ranking is where it is and you're kind of coming into this slam maybe not as a favourite but in a different part of the conversation to ever before.
04:01Have you noticed any difference in sort of how players are with you backstage or in the locker room or behind the scenes or like who you practice with, that kind of thing?
04:13Do you feel that difference?
04:15Maybe a little.
04:16I start to notice that a lot of people call me by my name, not just like, hey, how are you?
04:22But they say, hey, Mira.
04:23So, I feel like, oh.
04:25So, it feels nice.
04:27I feel like, yeah, a lot more players kind of, not recognize me but they get to know me more as well.
04:36So, I also get to kind of, you know, meet new people and talk to new people as well.
04:43So, it's just nice to, yeah, to meet new people and then sometimes maybe I didn't expect from, I'm not going to say names, but maybe sometimes I just didn't expect people to come and, you know, just kind of have a chit chat with me or just ask how I am and all this stuff.
05:03So, it's nice that people, you know, they get to know me more and I also start to get to know more people as well.
05:12Hey, Mira.
05:14You've beaten so many of the best players in the world.
05:19I wanted to ask you about one that I think you haven't beaten yet, which is Coco.
05:23And I'm sort of curious about, like, what is it about her game that you find especially difficult given, I mean, a lot of people find playing Coco difficult.
05:35But given that you've beaten Irina and beaten Iga, just sort of curious what it is that the problems that she causes you.
05:43Yeah, I can say that, obviously, Coco, she's very, very athletic.
05:49So, it's kind of tough to, you know, to finish the point playing aggressive against her because 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.
06:04So, well, it's not a nice feeling when you play against someone who runs for every ball, but I feel like she's just, she has a great mental part.
06:15I feel like she's always fighting until the end and fighting for every point. So, that kind of, I don't know, well, a lot of, kind of all of the players are fine until the last point.
06:28But I feel like just she puts a lot of, she tries to put a lot of pressure on the opponent and, yeah, her backhand also is super good.
06:39Her serve is great. So, it's just, she's a great player. I mean, she's won a slam. So, yeah, it's, she's tough to face, but when I will get a chance to face her again, I guess I will just have to, you know, accept it and, oh my God, why am I keep touching this?
07:00Okay. So, I would just, you know, accept it and go for it for our next match.
07:07Any other English questions?
07:09Yeah, your doubles partner was confronted to quite a hostile environment in Rome. I was just wondering what's your experience with the French public?
07:19Because sometimes in the French Open, well, the French public doesn't have a great reputation for foreign players.
07:24Yeah, last year I played against a French player and obviously I expected that, you know, things would be one-sided.
07:33So, I just knew that and I expected, you know, the people to obviously support the French players.
07:41So, you know, I feel like for me personally, when you kind of accept it and you know that there is nothing you can do about it, you just try to keep your emotions down, maybe, you know, not to try not to kind of argue with your team or umpire or just kind of be calm.
08:01But, of course, you can show emotions like, I don't know, supporting yourself, screaming come on or whatever, but I feel like it's not really an advantage for you if you do something towards the crowd.
08:13Because I feel like after they're just gonna eat you and you're gonna feel super, super under pressure.
