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Serena Williams’ former coach backs Mirra Andreeva to bounce back from Wuhan Open shock defeat

Originally posted on HITC | By Max Kilham | Last updated Oct 9, 2025 5:17 AM ET

Mirra Andreeva suffered another surprising defeat on Tuesday, falling to world number 24 Laura Siegemund in three sets.

The 37-year-old German took control late in the match, handing the Russian another setback. Andreeva’s struggles have continued over the past month. At the US Open, she was knocked out by unseeded American Taylor Townsend, and later lost to Britain’s Sonay Kartal at the China Open.

This time, it was Siegemund who got the better of her in Wuhan, winning their round-of-32 clash 6-7, 6-3, 6-3. However, one respected coach is still backing her to turn things around.

Patrick Mouratoglou has continued to show his support for Mirra Andreeva despite her recent form struggles. Mouratoglou has been working with Andreeva throughout the season and is confident she will come good again soon enough.

Rick Macci backs Mirra Andreeva to reach world number one

Rick Macci, who played a key role in the early careers of Serena and Venus Williams, has shared his thoughts on where Mirra Andreeva could go in the WTA Tour.

The well-known coach, who has also worked with Maria Sharapova and Andy Roddick, posted his views on social media following Andreeva’s recent defeat.

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Speaking on X [Twitter], Macci said: “Andreeva is SO competitive [and that] is why she blows a fuse and she is only 18 but just hates to lose.

“She is wired for greatness and that temper will become her best friend, and the Russian Rabbit will NO DOUBT be number one in the end.”

There’s plenty of reason for confidence. Back in March, Andreeva became the youngest player ever to win a WTA 1000 title when she claimed victory at Indian Wells.

Andreeva shouldn’t be written off too quickly

Mirra Andreeva’s rise through the WTA ranks has already included some impressive achievements for a player her age.

She climbed as high as world number five and picked up two WTA 1000 titles in 2025, all before turning 19.

Still early in her career, it’s normal to see dips in form at this stage. Even top players go through spells like this, especially when they’re still learning what it takes to compete consistently at the highest level.

There’s no question about her talent. What she needs now is a bit of patience from those around her so she can settle and continue developing without the added pressure of heavy criticism every time she stumbles.

This article first appeared on HITC and was syndicated with permission.

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