Wimbledon star Mirra Andreeva can thank the legendary Martina Navratilova after making the third round. The seventh seed impressed as she saw off Lucia Bronzetti 6-1, 7-6 (4), setting up a clash with American Hailey Baptiste.
The 18-year-old has already reached the fourth round of the Australian Open this year, having been a semi-finalist at the French Open in 2024. However, that doesn’t mean she’s now too advanced to take heed of advice. Following her opening win over Mayor Sherif at SW19, she was given guidance by Navratilova, who is working at the tournament as a pundit.
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During an interview with the Tennis Channel, the nine-time Wimbledon winner told the teenage star to shorten her backswings and use more slice in her play. She said this would help Andreeva counteract the lower bounce produced on grass courts.
The youngster replied by joking: “If I lose my next match, it’s your fault!” She added that the 68-year-old owed her dinner and a friendship bracelet if she were to lose to Bronzetti, though she ultimately went on to win.
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The exchange followed an emotional moment for Navratilova while working live on air with the BBC. She was reduced to tears as Czech star Petra Kvitova retired following her first-round loss to Emma Navarro.
The two-time champion then bid a touching farewell to the court at SW19. It all proved too much for the all-time great, who struggled to speak when asked to summarise the goodbye.
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Welling up as she spoke, Navratilova said: “It's hard for me to talk right now. She's just such a nice person on and off the court, a role model everywhere.”
Like Kvitova, Navratilova was also born in the Czech Republic, fueling her interest in Kvitova.. However, she became a US citizen in 1981 and now holds dual citizenship with both countries.
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