Mirra Andreeva, 17, makes WTA history with help from LeBron James and Roger Federer

DUBAI – Getting inspiration from LeBron James and Roger Federer, Russian 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva wrapped up a fairy-tale week in Dubai by becoming the youngest WTA 1000 champion with victory over Clara Tauson on Feb 22.

After ousting three Grand Slam winners – including second-seeded Iga Swiatek – en route to the final, she ended Tauson’s own dream run at the tournament with a 7-6 (7-1), 6-1 victory against the Dane.

It was a performance that did not just earn her a maiden WTA 1000 trophy, but also secured her top-10 debut, with the Russian expected to rise to No. 9 when the new rankings are released on Feb 24.

Andreeva admitted she did not feel her best on court during the final, but drew inspiration from interviews she watched of National Basketball Association legend James talking about how champions can find ways to win, even without their “A” game.

“I just told myself, ‘You can either let that negativity come into your head and kill you, or you can choose to be 100 per cent mentally and fight for every point’,” she said.

“And if something doesn’t go your way, fine, you forget about it and you play one point at a time.

“I’ve been listening to a lot of LeBron James interviews, and he said that it’s easy to be confident and to play good when everything goes your way, but what makes you a champion is when you’re giving your best when you don’t feel great. So that’s what I tried to do today.”

Andreeva also revealed she has been watching highlights from Federer’s 2017 Australian Open final victory over Rafael Nadal before her matches this week, taking cues from the Swiss great.

“I was watching some highlights. I was like, ‘How can he play like this? This is something extraordinary’,” she said.

Tauson had been a giant-slayer herself in Dubai, knocking out world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka on her way to the biggest final of her career. The 22-year-old entered the clash leading the tour with 15 match wins this season.

She was looking to add a second title to her tally in 2025, and fourth overall, but Andreeva had other ideas, as she overcame her big-hitting opponent in 1hr 46min of all-court prowess.

As the youngest WTA 1000 finalist since the category was introduced in 2009, Andreeva played a near-perfect opening-set tiebreak to take the lead after 60 minutes of play. She upped the ante in the second set, breaking twice for a 5-1 advantage and served out the win at the first time of asking.

During the trophy ceremony, Andreeva thanked her coach Conchita Martinez and her family for their support and congratulated Tauson. The affable teenager then surprised the crowd by paying credit to herself.

“Last but not least, I would like to thank me. I know what I have been dealing with, so I want to thank me for always believing in me. I want to thank me for never quitting and always dealing with the pressure,” she said.

“Today it was not easy but I chose to be there 100 per cent, so I thank myself for that.”

Besides the 1,000 ranking points she received for winning the Dubai Championships, she pocketed US$597,000 (S$798,000) in prize money, which she says she will hand over to her father, given she still does not manage her own finances.

Meanwhile in men’s tennis, Andreeva’s compatriot Andrey Rublev was given a tough test early on, but finished in style to beat Britain’s eight seed Jack Draper 7-5, 5-7, 6-1 and win the Qatar Open.

The fifth seed, who also won in Doha in 2020, claimed his first title since his triumph at the 2024 Madrid Open, but was made to battle in the opening two sets.

“It feels amazing. It’s the first time I’ve won the same title twice,” a delighted Rublev said. “I’m really happy. I don’t know what else to say.” AFP, REUTERS