mirra andreeva embraces attention and memories as Dubai defending champion

Mirra Andreeva returned to Dubai this week with a different rhythm around her. Now 18 and carrying the badge of defending champion, she welcomed the extra recognition and the reminders of a breakthrough run that vaulted her into the sport’s elite. At media day on Sunday (ET) she spoke about the extra attention, the sting of a tight loss in Doha and her motivation to defend a title that announced her arrival on the biggest stages.

Back to the scene of the breakthrough

Last year in Dubai Andreeva captured a statement victory, beating Clara Tauson in the final and becoming the youngest player to claim a WTA 1000 crown. That triumph propelled her into the top 10 of the PIF WTA Rankings the following week, a position she still holds. The memories are vivid and the surroundings feel different this time.

"Compared to last year -- obviously now people that maybe are staying here because they see faces of players -- they recognize me more, " she said. "I don't mind. I kind of like the attention from people, from media. I don't mind when that happens. " Seeing her image around the hotel and at the venue has given her a boost. "It also kind of gives me more motivation to try and play well here and maybe to try and defend the title. When I come next year, my face is there again, " she added.

Her run last season in Dubai was a springboard. A few weeks later she won at Indian Wells, and earlier this year she captured the Adelaide International, notching her first WTA 500 title. Those results underline a rapid rise and a growing expectation each week she steps onto court.

Handling pressure and a tough Doha exit

But the start of the season has not been without setbacks. In Doha last week Andreeva faced Victoria Mboko in a tightly contested Round of 16 match. After dominating Mboko in Adelaide, the rematch swung the other way; Mboko prevailed in a 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 thriller. Andreeva had match point but lost it on a double fault, a moment she described as particularly hard to swallow.

"That match was something, " she said. "It was very interesting to play against her. I caught myself that I was actually feeling a lot of adrenaline, a lot of excitement in the third set during the match. That doesn't happen often. I actually enjoyed the match a lot. " She emphasized perspective: losses happen, and how a player responds is what matters most. Taking solace in the fact that her conqueror went on to the final helped soften the blow, but the focus now is forward.

Andreeva also acknowledged that such high-adrenaline moments are rare for her, suggesting growth in how she manages pressure. Her approach is practical: accept the loss, learn from it and channel it into the next opportunity.

Draw, seeding and what’s next in Dubai

This year Andreeva is the No. 5 seed and will receive a bye into the second round. She awaits the winner of the match between Laura Siegemund and Daria Kasatkina, and the draw leaves open the possibility of another meeting with Mboko later in the event.

For the defending champion, the tournament is a mix of comfort and fresh challenges. "I'm just super excited to play here, " she said. "Obviously I'm going to do everything I can to try and defend the title because this is the first time I come to the tournament as a defending champion. " Even with the extra attention, she presents a calm, focused front: the aim is to manage expectations, stick to preparation and let the tennis speak for itself on court.

As the event progresses, attention will remain on how she translates the confidence from last year's run and recent successes into results under the added weight of a title defense. For now, Andreeva is embracing the spotlight and the memories while preparing to write the next chapter of her young, fast-rising career.