“I Got a Message”: Teen Sensation Mirra Andreeva Upsets World No. 2 and Unfolds an Unsettling Threat

Teenage sensation Mirra Andreeva has opened up about her experiences with online threats and harassment, drawing parallels to the recent struggles faced by Emma Raducanu.

Andreeva pulled off a stunning upset against world No. 2 Iga Swiatek, marking the first time in tour history that Swiatek lost to a player under 18 in the quarter-finals of the Dubai Championships.

The 17-year-old Andreeva triumphed with a score of 6-3, 6-3, making her the youngest semi-finalist in the tournament’s 24-year history.

In their previous encounter last August in Cincinnati, Swiatek claimed victory after losing the first set and winning in the third set 7-5. This time, she again dropped the opening set and led in the second, but Andreeva surged back to claim the last five games.

“I felt quite nervous before the match,” said the world No. 14 Andreeva. “I reminded myself that I performed well in our last match and just needed to maintain my aggressive play.”

This marks her fifth victory over a top-10 player, with this being her second win against a No. 2, having defeated Aryna Sabalenka in the quarter-finals of the French Open last year.

The young Russian will next compete against sixth-seeded Elena Rybakina, who defeated Sofia Kenin 6-2, 7-6 (2), improving her record to 3-0 against the American.

Following her match, Andreeva commented on Raducanu’s unsettling experience earlier in the tournament, where a “fixated” man was escorted away after having prior encounters with the British tennis player.

“I received a message that said: ‘Look around, because I’m going to find you and I’m going to cut your arms,'” she revealed. “That is the one message that has stuck with me to this day. After every loss, I believe every player is bombarded with an array of hateful messages.”

Swiatek mentioned that her semi-final performance at the Australian Open left her with limited time to prepare for the events in the Middle East. “I had the same mindset as every year, but the preparation was certainly different,” she explained.

“Previously, I lost early in Australia, giving me ample time to work on things. This year, that wasn’t the case. Honestly, I’m usually not this direct, but I would attribute my performance to the lack of practice prior to these tournaments.”

“I’m not satisfied with the results. It feels like I haven’t played to my potential. I need to have a discussion with my team and redesign our plan for the upcoming weeks since I haven’t had much time for practice before these tournaments.”