New York, August 29, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Grand Slam champion and Olympic silver medallist Mirra Andreeva has opened up about the influence of her elder sister Erika, describing her as a role model whose guidance has shaped both her tennis career and life away from the court.
Speaking during US Open media day, the 19-year-old Russian recalled growing up alongside Erika, who is three years older, and said being the younger sibling brought certain advantages to her development.
“I feel like I had more benefits because I’m younger. Tennis-wise, I didn’t have to play so many tournaments that she did, and maybe that saved me some time. She was always helping me with school. She was also giving me lots of advice,” Mirra said, as quoted by the WTA.
“I would always copy her, because obviously she was, and she still is, my role model that I’ll always look up to,” she added.
Mirra said their parents played an important role in ensuring that the sisters viewed each other as sources of support rather than rivals.
“We were never really competitive with each other,” she said. “Because our parents always told us that because we’re sisters, we’re the closest people that we’re going to have in life, and we should always support each other.”
The sisters also avoided practising together too often because of the emotions involved.
“We didn’t practice together a lot, because it would get messy. Not between each other and our relationship, but it would just—I don’t know. I would get mad, she would get sad that I’m mad, then I’m sad that she’s sad. It’s a lot of different emotions,” Mirra said.
While Mirra has established herself as one of the leading players of her generation, Erika has also enjoyed a successful professional career. She reached a career-high ranking of No. 65 in October 2024 and has won five ITF singles titles.
Erika’s latest title came at the W75 tournament in Zagreb in May. Following an extended break after Wimbledon 2025, she has climbed nearly 150 ranking places and is closing in on a return to the Top 200.
Before turning professional, Erika reached the girls’ singles final at Roland Garros in 2021, finishing runner-up to Linda Noskova.
The sisters have had contrasting fortunes at the US Open this year. Erika exited in the opening round of qualifying after losing to Mariam Bolkvadze, while Mirra and Andrey Rublev were beaten in the mixed doubles semi-finals.
Mirra will now focus on her singles campaign in New York, where she is scheduled to face World No. 35 Janice Tjen in the first round on Monday.
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