'He's ageing like fine wine': Mirra Andreeva swoons over Andy Murray and opens up on life on tour

Mirra Andreeva is not shy about her admiration for tennis stars past and present. During a candid interview at the 2025 US Open, the 18-year-old Russian rising star did not hold back when talking about her teenage crush on Andy Murray, describing him with a phrase that instantly captured attention: "He’s aged like fine wine.". The comment, playful yet sincere, perfectly reflects Andreeva’s mix of charm, honesty, and relatability, showing fans a side of the young athlete that goes beyond her powerful forehand and lightning-fast footwork.

In an interview with Tennis Channel before the US Open, featuring fellow WTA star Ajla Tomljanovic, Andreeva’s interview spanned far more than celebrity crushes. She reflected on her upbringing as the youngest sibling in her family, crediting older sister Erika with guidance both on and off the court. "Sometimes Erika gets mad at me because of you I did this and that, but you didn’t have to. So, I’m like, well, that’s my advantage because I’m younger," Andreeva explained. Having an older sibling and learning from her parents’ first-child mistakes, she said, gave her a unique perspective on life and a confidence that now carries onto the tour.

Despite the pressures of professional tennis, Andreeva balances her career with small pleasures, including shopping sprees in New York and indulgent cheat meals. "Every time I finish the US Open, I come here and have my cheat meal," Tomljanovic said, with Mirra revealing Chipotle as a favourite.

She also confessed, "I like to go shopping because I feel like, I don’t know, there’s something about this place that I always buy a lot of stuff, like these American shops that, you know, they just sell a lot of nice stuff and I just, yeah, do a lot of shopping.". Her honesty about these little joys, along with her candid humour, makes her instantly relatable to fans.

Joining the WTA Tour at 15 came with challenges which she discussed as she said, "At first I was of course very nervous because I saw the way everyone was looking at me, like, ‘Who is this? What is she doing here?’ I was super quiet, super shy. It’s like, okay, I’m just going to do this and then I’m going to leave. And I would just spend time with my team and with my parents," she recalled. Support from fellow players, such as Bianca Andreescu, who welcomed her via text, helped Andreeva feel at home on tour.

Of course, being on tour with her sister Erika Andreeva, Mirra talked about how tough it is to face her in tournaments at times:

"The first time we played against each other was in China and we shared a room. And when I saw the draw, I was like, this is it. Here we are. That day was crazy. I didn’t talk in the morning at all because I was so nervous and I felt like I played good in the beginning, but then I got so nervous that I’m winning. Then I got scared. Then she started to play really well. And then I was like, what do I do? And so it was like complete disaster. And I just hope that the only times we're going to meet would be like in semis or finals of, I don't know, bigger tournaments."

Andreeva on facing her sister 

Central to Andreeva’s growth is her partnership with coach Conchita Martínez. "When I first started working with her, it was obviously a little bit weird and awkward… but with time, I just feel super comfortable around her and on the court, off the court as well. The chemistry is there," she said.

Through stories of family, tour life, and even teenage crushes, Mirra Andreeva comes across as grounded, self-aware, and full of charm. The Russian is set to face Taylor Townsend in her third round of the US Open on Arthur Ashe.