Teenage sensation tipped to make rankings breakthrough by leading tennis voice
She has been the rising star of the women’s game for the last couple of years and Sky Sports Tennis lead commentator Jonathan Overend has backed Mirra Andreeva to make her big breakthrough at some point in 2025.
Aged the tender age of just 17, Andreeva has already achieved so much in her career, with her run to the French Open semi-final last year highlighting her quality.
She has already reached the last-16 at Wimbledon in 2023 and the Australian Open over the last couple of years, with her live WTA Ranking currently sitting at No 14.
That rise is already hugely impressive for a player of her age, with respected voice Overend suggesting she is only at the start of her development.
“I’ve been a Mira Andreeva fan for three years now and it is only a matter of time before she breaks through and wins a really big tournament,” said Overend.
“I love everything about her. The game is developing and I love everything about her off court. The way she talks to to the media is just fantastic and it feels like she has been on Tour for a decade and her time will surely come.”
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Overend also believes Madison Keys can build on her thrilling maiden Grand Slam win at the Australian Open, as he suggests the American can build on that performance over the course of 2025 after beating Aryna Sabalenka in the final in Melbourne.
“It wasn’t just the fact she won her first Grand Slam after so many attempts, but the way she did it that was so impressive,” reflected Overend.
“She took on Aryna Sabalenka at her own game and that is normally a recipe for disaster, but Keys hit through her. She was bold with her shotmaking and played that last set like it was the last set of tennis she would ever play.
“I wish more players would have that approach in matches where they are the underdog. It feels too often that a lot of players bring their game and just hope the higher-ranked opponent has a bad day and misses a few shots. As if that is their best chance.
“Keys didn’t think that way. She played it as if it was her last match, she went for it and it came off.
“She was bold, played with real purpose and some of the shot making she pulled off in that final set was something else. ”So I really hope a lot of the younger players look at that performance and take inspiration from it.
“A lot of players can hit that hard and play shots like that on the practice court, so why not try and take it on to the match court? ”A lot of this game is in the head, so look at what Keys did in that final against Sabalenka and believe you can do it. That would be my advice to young players.”
Keys and Andreeva may be at different ends of their tennis careers, but both have so much to look forward to after positive starts to 2025.
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