M. ANDREEVA/Wang Xiyu
7-6, 6-3
THE MODERATOR: Please share your comments on your performance.
MIRRA ANDREEVA: Today, of course, was a really tough match mentally and physically. I knew a lot of people are going to support her. I mean, she's playing at home. I was trying to prepare for that. I already had some experience playing against a Chinese in Beijing. I knew what to expect.
Yes, I'm just really happy with my game today and I'm happy that I managed to win the match. It was not easy for me. I'm really happy to stay a bit longer in Wuhan.
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. You'll get to play Erika, your sister, for the first time officially. Do you remember the first time you beat her in one of your practice matches? What is it like to play matches against her?
MIRRA ANDREEVA: Well, last time we played like a practice match, not just some exercises, like the real match, I think it was maybe three to five years ago, something like that. I didn't win (smiling).
Yeah, I don't know. Of course, as I said before, it would be like a nightmare to play against her because it would also be a pretty weird match I think because she would know what I would do on the court, and I know what she does on the court.
I think it's going to be fun, of course, for the people who are watching, but it's going to be really stressful for the both of us I think.
But yeah, we decided that we're going to split the prize money for the second round. Whoever wins just goes forward. We're going to just split the prize money. But yeah, of course I'm curious to see who's going to win tomorrow. It's going to be a nervous match, for sure. For my parents, especially (smiling).
Q. How would you describe your sister's personality in contrast to your personality? How different are you as people?
MIRRA ANDREEVA: I would say that I'm an extrovert and she's introvert. For example, I can also be an introvert, but sometimes. It depends on my mood.
For example, if there would be a choice to go somewhere to have fun or to stay in my bed, I would choose to stay in my bed. She will not even think about it. She will always stay at home and just do something alone or with the family. I feel like she would not really like to go out somewhere with some people.
I feel like she doesn't like to talk much, so... I'm completely the opposite. I like to talk to people. I'm just always talking a lot. Sometimes I can be worried because I don't want to irritate people (smiling). Yeah, just feel like I'm more kind of talkative.
I can be extrovert. She's more calm, maybe a little closed person. I think that would be the main difference, I would say.
Q. Chinese fans are famous around the world for being super passionate and also giving creative gifts for players. Have you received anything super cool in the past few weeks or any fan moment that stood out to you?
MIRRA ANDREEVA: Yes, last week in Beijing I received a huge panda. Like, it weighs I think around two kilos probably, maybe one and a half. The paws are really heavy. If you put it on yourself, the paws are just here (shoulders). It will just hang on you. That's a really nice one. I already had trouble traveling with it, so... But I'm going to take it home, of course. I had to complain once in Dasha's video. Since then I receive a lot of gifts.
I don't mind. I don't mind. I like that. So, yeah, just have to buy another suitcase for all of those (smiling).
Q. Right now you're at such a young age, a lot of achievements already. I want to know, what kind of challenge has it been on tour at such a young age, traveling, jet lag? How much does the people surrounding you help you to overcome it?
MIRRA ANDREEVA: You mean professional tour or when I was a child playing juniors?
Q. Professional.
MIRRA ANDREEVA: Well, I started one year ago, so I don't think a lot has changed. Of course, when there is jet lag of some people, they struggle with it in a different way. If we're talking about that, me, I don't really notice it. I don't know. I'm pretty easygoing with that. I don't have a lot of trouble changing my time zone or whatever. In that case, I'm pretty easy. It's okay for me.
Of course, sometimes when athletes get tired, I'm sure, for example, in my case my parents and my coaches, they also help me mentally and physically. They're trying to do their job. Maybe do some massage or whatever.
Of course, when I feel down or I feel like I'm tired, I just like to talk to my parents, to Erika. Now I cannot talk to her anymore (smiling). That's going to be hard. At least I have Conchita. She's going to be the one that's going to listen a lot tomorrow.
Q. What are your expectations for the upcoming matches? What goals do you hope to achieve?
MIRRA ANDREEVA: When?
Q. In the future, what goals do you hope to achieve in the next matches?
MIRRA ANDREEVA: Of course, as every athlete, you want to go higher and higher in the rankings. You want to win more and more matches and tournaments.
Yeah, for now I've completed my goal that I've set for myself till the end of the year. I'm very happy with that. I don't want to set any goals for this tournament and for the rest of the tournaments, as well. I'm going to set another one next year. But for now I'm okay. I'm good.
Yeah, just I wish next year I could win more tournaments and go higher in rankings. Of course, next year I have a lot of points to defend, so that's also going to be one of the first times when I probably going to struggle with that maybe mentally, physically. I don't know. That's also going to be a new experience for me, how to deal with the pressure of defending points. We're going to see how I handle it. I hope I'm not going to have any trouble. Yeah, we'll see what's going to happen.
I'm just hoping that, yeah, I will win a couple of tournaments maybe.
Q. Last year you described when you and your sister play, you're Ons and your sister was Iga. A year later, is that what we're going to see tomorrow? Is it still that big of a contrast of styles?
MIRRA ANDREEVA: I feel like Erika, she has changed her tennis style a little bit 'cause we've practiced few weeks ago together. I feel like now she's more aggressive. At the same time she's smart and she sees the court good. With this aggressiveness, she sees the opponent, where she is. She just plays in the open space. I don't know. Maybe we keep it like that. Well, I don't know. That's too hard (smiling). I don't know if there is that big of a contrast.
Yeah, I feel like I just take more time. I change the rhythm a lot. I just play in the moment. Like, I decide during the rally what I want to do. For example, there is a lob coming. I'm like, Okay, I'm going to wait for it to bounce and then I'm going to take it. Then I see it's slow, so I'm, Okay, I'm going to take a spin ball. I feel like I can change my decisions fast. Sometimes it's good. Sometimes it's bad.
I feel like she has one strong plan for the match and she will do it until the match is over. Doesn't matter the score, doesn't matter the situation. She will just go for it, yeah, do whatever it takes to win. Me, I'm more kind of see what happens, then we're going to decide, all of that.
Q. How often do you practice with Erika? Is there a reason why you don't play more practice sets or things that are more competitive?
MIRRA ANDREEVA: Well, we've established a pretty long time ago that we do not want to play sets or matches against each other in the practice because it's not like we're nervous, it's like we're nervous about each other.
For example, if she does a lot of mistakes or I see she's unhappy or worried, I start to be worried for her, then I cannot play normally. When she sees that some bad stuff happens to me, she cannot play normally, she cannot practice.
We're just kind of too worried about each other when we practice when something goes wrong and we cannot focus on ourselves. We said we can do normal practices, hitting the ball, moving, doing some cross-courts, but no playing because that would not be good for both of us.
Maybe in the future it will change. Maybe we will learn how to take advantage of it. But for now, it's like this. We don't really play anything against each other. Just normal practice.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports