Mirra Andreeva achieved her first victory against her older sister Erika in the opening round of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix on Wednesday. However, the win was not under ideal circumstances, as Erika was unfortunately forced to withdraw from the match due to injury when trailing 6-2, 1-0.
Erika had previously been victorious in their sole professional encounter, winning 6-3, 6-1 in Wuhan the previous year. According to the sisters, Erika had also been dominant in their childhood practice sessions. In Stuttgart, competing as a lucky loser, Erika initially broke Mirra`s serve in the first game, but Mirra then won the subsequent two games. Erika subsequently requested a medical time-out at the first changeover. Erika returned to the court with her right knee heavily bandaged, but from that point onwards, Mirra controlled the match.
Following the match, after a warm embrace at the net, the No. 5 seed, Mirra, expressed her admiration for her sister. She credited Erika with playing a crucial role in her own rapid progression to the Top 10 in the world rankings.
“If Erika hadn`t started playing tennis before me, I doubt I would have reached this level so quickly,” Mirra stated in her post-match interview on court. “She began competing in tournaments before I did, and she really paved the way for me. Because of her experiences, it became easier for me to participate in major tournaments early in my career. If it weren`t for her guidance, I don`t think I would be competing in this tournament this year.”
Mirra was aware of Erika`s physical struggles, stating, “We share a room, so naturally, I knew what she was experiencing.” Despite her win, Mirra expressed mixed emotions after the match.
“I have genuinely strange feelings,” she admitted. “I should feel happier about winning, but I`m also very sad that the match concluded in that manner. I am confident that she will take the necessary time to recover and will return even stronger.”
Despite the bittersweet nature of the day for the Andreeva family, Mirra still managed to bring a lighter moment. With a playful look, she turned to her coach, Conchita Martínez, and announced, “It`s my coach`s birthday, and I want to embarrass her a bit.” Mirra then led the Stuttgart crowd in singing `Happy Birthday`, addressing Martínez by her full name, Concepción, with a smile.
Martínez responded with good humor, blowing kisses to the audience. While the day might have been emotionally complex for the Andreeva family, Mirra`s career continues its upward trajectory. Her next challenge will be a first-time match against Ekaterina Alexandrova, as she aims to reach her fourth quarterfinal of 2025.
