Mirra Andreeva has only been competing at the elite level since 2023, but in that time, the teenager has wowed fans, rivals and tennis analysts.
Now, the teenager stands just one win away from scaling the heights many of those observers predicted she would hit.
Andreeva cruised into her first Grand Slam singles final at Roland Garros on Thursday, dropping just four games against the in-form Marta Kostyuk to continue her irresistible march towards the trophy.
Just three years after playing off for the Australian Open junior title, she is on the brink of joining the sport’s greats as a major champion.
She lines up against surprise finalist Maja Chwalinska, a qualifier who came through the unlikeliest of second semifinals against Diana Shnaider, for that opportunity on Saturday.
Andreeva’s prodigious talent meant she had already appeared at the business end in Paris. In 2024, having just turned 17, it’s where she advanced to her first major semifinal.
“I feel like two years ago, obviously when I was playing semifinals, I was very excited. I would say that I didn't believe that, ‘oh my God, I'm playing in semifinals,” she reflected. “Also, I don't know, [it] kind of interfered with how I played in the semis. But also, I would say that that year Jasmine [Paolini] just killed me on the court.
“Now I feel like I'm getting closer, I'm getting older, a little bit more mature every match I play, a little bit more experience.
“So I think that now I'm able to approach every match differently and try to really focus on the opponent that I'm gonna play against and the game plan that I'm going to have to use on the court.”
Andreeva has been building steadily to this point, evident throughout the claycourt season. After winning in Linz and reaching the final in Madrid, as well as posting semis in Stuttgart and quarters in Rome, she’d earned the most points of any woman on clay in 2026.
Incredibly, she appears to have hit an even higher gear in Paris. Since losing the first set of her second-round match against Marina Bassols Ribera, Andreeva has won 10 consecutive sets – and scoreline-wise, few of those have been close.
On court, she’s been calm and locked-in like we’ve rarely seen, notable given she has appeared overwhelmed with emotions in several matches during the past 12 months.
Describing her state as “in the zone” after her 6-0 6-3 quarterfinal destruction of Sorana Cirstea, she was similarly dominant against Kostyuk.
Kostyuk had improved to a perfect 17-0 on clay after beating Iga Swiatek and Elina Svitolina in back-to-back matches on Court Philippe Chatrier. She and Andreeva hit almost the same number of winners on that same court on Thursday, yet Andreeva committed 12 less unforced errors, while forcing many more from Kostyuk’s racquet.
It was all over in just one hour and 16 minutes.
It was another sign of her progression, given just a few weeks ago, Andreeva broke down during the trophy presentation after losing to Kostyuk in the Madrid final, and was 0-2 against the Ukrainian.
“I felt like today I was also very, very focused on the things that I had to do on the court. Very focused with the game plan that we have prepared with [coach] Conchita [Martinez], very focused on my mindset, on every little thing,” said Andreeva, now 21-3 on clay this year.
“I was also at some point seeing the little hairs on the ball when I was tossing or playing.
“[Martinez has] been sharing her experience, giving me a lot of advices. But I still feel like at some points of my career, I was kind of ready to listen and ready to change or try to work on something new… but at the same time, sticking to what I have been doing. So maybe that's why it was also not working every time.
“Now I feel like I completely trust what my team tells me, and now it's easier for me to do … and not doubt anything.”
Having turned 19 only five weeks ago, Andreeva could become the third youngest player this century to win a women’s singles major title, after Emma Raducanu (aged 18 at the 2021 US Open) and Maria Sharapova (17 at Wimbledon in 2004).
Should she prevail on Saturday against Chwalinska, she would become the youngest women’s singles champion at Roland Garros in 34 years, after Monica Seles in 1992.
Andreeva appears poised to do so, having compiled the best Open-era winning percentage at majors among any woman without a Grand Slam title. She’s also won 17 of her first 20 matches at Roland Garros, a mark bettered only by Swiatek, Seles, Margaret Court and Chris Evert – all multiple champions in Paris.
“I've never played against her,” Andreeva said of facing Chwalinska.
“Obviously she's been playing amazing these two weeks. Like three weeks for her, right, because she passed through quallies. She's been playing unbelievable.
“I don't really know how she plays. I don't really know her game style. We'll just try to prepare for the final the best we can.”