Andreeva on her Dubai final: "I haven't felt this nervous for a long time".

© AFP

Clément Gehl

le 23/02/2025 à 11h04

2 min to read

Andreeva Dubaï

Mirra Andreeva won the WTA 1000 tournament in Dubai against Clara Tauson.

It was a high-stakes match for the Russian, who won her first WTA 1000 and moved into the Top 10.

Although the contract was fulfilled, Andreeva admitted she was very nervous. Speaking to YouTube channel BB Tennis, she said: "It was really horrible.

It's been a long time since I felt as nervous as I did yesterday. This is my third WTA final, and these are the three toughest matches I've played.

In fact, I was very nervous, and that nervousness hit me as soon as we stepped onto the court.

Then I felt my legs starting to give out, my heart sinking in my heels. I told myself I had to pull myself together.

We've been working on this with my psychologist, and I spoke to her recently, which helped a little.

During the match, I opened my notebook and read what I'd written in it. In that respect, I'm very proud of myself, I managed the pressure at a very good level.

My heart didn't calm down until the score was 5-1 in the second set.

I was worried when the score was 1-1, 2-1, 3-1, 4-1. It was only at 5-1 that I started to feel a bit better.

In fact, I usually give up after two or three games in a match.

Sometimes, even I don't worry at all and play at 100%.

But yesterday, I couldn't stop thinking that this was the final, that this was a chance to win the title...

All these thoughts were starting to kill me, to eat me up inside."