After recent victories at prestigious WTA 1000 events in Dubai and Indian Wells, including wins against the world`s top two players, Mirra Andreeva has set her sights on the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix. It`s understandable that she might be dreaming of the prize.
The tournament champion will be awarded 500 WTA ranking points, over 142,000 Euros, and a brand-new Porsche Macan Turbo, prominently displayed courtside in Stuttgart.
“The view from center court is amazing,” commented Andreeva, currently ranked No. 7, as the competition began. “I’ve already started picturing myself with different Porsche models. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. For now, I’m just admiring them.”
She also added, “And I still need to get my driver`s license.”
At 17, Andreeva is the youngest player within the WTA Top 100, and also the highest-ranked among the three teenagers in this elite group. She will turn 18 in late April in Madrid, the city where she first gained international attention two years prior. As one of six Top 10 players competing in Stuttgart, she faces a challenging path to victory.
Her very first match on Wednesday presents a significant hurdle: she is scheduled to play against her sister, Erika, an opponent she has never defeated.
In a twist of fate, Erika found herself in the main draw opposite Mirra. Despite losing her final qualifying match to Aliaksandra Sasnovich, Erika was granted a lucky loser spot after Marta Kostyuk withdrew due to an abdominal injury. Kostyuk herself had initially entered the main draw as a direct entry when Paula Badosa withdrew because of a persistent back problem.
Erika, at 20 years old and ranked No. 97, is three years older than Mirra.
When Mirra spoke to the press on Monday, the sister-sister match-up was still just a possibility.
“I am aware of the possibility of playing my sister again,” she stated. “But we will approach it professionally, as we must. If it happens, we will step onto the court and compete as we would in any other match.”
“We will face each other, and if it comes to pass, it will likely be a compelling and exciting match for everyone to watch.”
The Andreeva sisters have only played against each other once before on the WTA Tour. Erika won that encounter 6-3, 6-1 in the second round in Wuhan last fall. In that match, Mirra initially led 3-1 in the first set but then lost nine consecutive games, and 11 of the subsequent 12.
This dynamic was reminiscent of the early matches between Venus and Serena Williams, where both sisters seemed to struggle with the unusual situation.
“It was challenging for both of us,” Erika reflected after their previous match. “It was a first-time experience, and we were both glad it happened at a major tournament. However, I’m not sure we truly enjoyed it.”
Despite not having practiced together in over five years, Erika is intimately familiar with her sister’s all-around game.
“It’s true, we played against each other a lot when we were kids,” Erika explained. “I have a good sense of where she’s likely to hit the ball, and she knows the same about me. Sometimes during a rally, I would think, ‘Normally, I would go to this spot, but I know she expects me to,’ and I would change my shot choice.”
Erika, also a lucky loser in Wuhan, eventually reached the Round of 16 before losing to Jasmine Paolini.
At the 2024 US Open, the sisters discussed their sibling rivalry. Unsurprisingly, Erika typically dominated when they were younger.
“But honestly, Mirra was very little back then,” Erika recalled in Flushing Meadows last year. “The times we played were a long time ago. And when you are that young, the age difference makes a bigger impact.”
So, Mirra was asked when she started to defeat her older sister.
“Actually, I still haven’t,” Mirra admitted with a laugh. “We practiced a lot when we were younger, and she would always beat me, usually 6-1 or 6-2. Maybe 6-3 if I played well or if she wasn’t having a good day.”
Mirra has now ascended into the Top 10, while Erika is in the Top 100 and beginning to make her own mark in tennis. This is the first time both sisters are competing in Stuttgart.
Mirra attributed her recent success, speaking on Monday, to finding a new sense of balance.
“I’m just trying to step onto the court and savor each moment, to enjoy myself while also maintaining focus,” she said. “I believe I’ve recently found the balance to avoid getting too discouraged or anxious on the court, and to sometimes relax and let things flow. Finding this balance has significantly helped me these past few months.”
Mirra—and Erika—will need to rely on this balance as they become opponents on Wednesday.
Jasper Hawthorne 
Dominic Ashworth