ZANIMLJIVE IZJAVE IGRAČA SA JUČERAŠNJEG DANA

Mira Andrejeva, a child tennis prodigy from Russia, reflects on her recent match and explains her mindset during the game. She recalls feeling good after the second set but admits that her opponent started strong. After a few missed opportunities, her opponent took a commanding lead of 5-1. Feeling the need to salvage some dignity, Mira focused on winning at least one more game. At 5-2, her opponent had two match points, but luckily missed a shot. Mira then tried to make a comeback at 5-3 but failed to convert her chances. Despite losing her serve at 6-5, Mira knew it was only a matter of time before she would win the set. She described two extraordinary points where she had nothing to lose, and the adrenaline rush made it easier to chase the score. Miraculously, she won the set 9-7. Mira plans to frame a tweet from Andy Murray about her match, as she never expected him to comment on her game by saying she succeeded by being tough on herself. The author draws interesting parallels between Mira’s match and the 9-7 tiebreak victory for Struff against Kecmanović.

The article then shifts focus to another player, De Minor, who is often compared to Novak Djokovic. De Minor is asked whether it would be a big gesture from the organizers to schedule him in the evening session on Rod Laver Arena on Sunday night. De Minor responds diplomatically, saying it would be excellent but not a requirement, as his main goal is to enjoy the match and give his best performance, regardless of the venue. The author notes that De Minor’s recent comments about Djokovic have been more diplomatic than in previous years. The article highlights De Minor’s ability to deceive herself, a mindset that helps her focus on her ultimate goal at Grand Slam tournaments. Her strategy is to pretend that each match is the start of a new seven-match journey, reducing the pressure of the immediate challenge. Inspired by her brother Kodi, who advised her to imagine playing three sets instead of two or multiple matches instead of just one, De Minor believes this approach has helped her maintain a relaxed and enjoyable mindset during tournaments. She reflects on how she wishes she had started practicing this mentality at the French Open when she got overwhelmed by the prospect of winning. By adding imaginary points, sets, and matches during the US Open, she was able to alleviate the pressure and control her mindset. The article concludes by mentioning the upcoming Australian Open and speculates on who else might adopt this mentality.