World No. 38 Mirra Andreeva shared her thoughts on the schedule at Roland Garros and discussed a routine that has developed for her during the tournament.
Andreeva noted that all her matches have started at 11 AM local time. She finds this consistent rhythm helpful for her tournament progression and mentioned that a specific ritual has naturally formed.
She explained, “Yes, I would say there is a ritual. Since I play at 11, everything is the same – I wake up, leave for the venue, do everything at the same time. Regarding the schedule, I mentioned before that I don`t really like getting up very early, but we keep playing first match of the day. I won`t complain, everything is working well. If they schedule me first again for the next match, well, what can you do, I`ll have to follow the same schedule. I hope everything goes just as successfully.”
Andreeva also reflected on a moment during a recent match involving a forehand drop shot. Though it wasn`t her best shot, she won the point and pointed to her head and then to her box. She was asked about her communication with her coach, Conchita Martinez, during matches – whether it`s just support or includes tactical and technical advice.
The young player clarified, “Mostly they support me, try to fire me up, give me energy. When Conchita thinks she needs to say something tactical or technical, she always will. I like that she doesn`t just support me but also says something tactical or technical when she deems it necessary. When she says something, I try to listen and execute it on the court.”
Regarding the gesture she made, Andreeva explained it happened at deuce on her serve after saving a set point. It was a tense moment, and she wasn`t sure why she decided to hit a drop shot, calling it “awful” and noting it landed like a “moon ball” near the service line. But having won the point, she made the gesture to acknowledge the poor shot choice. Her coach`s reaction was simply: `Just forget it, keep playing, it`s okay.`
Rupert Hartwell