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Former World No. 1 Andy Murray has reacted in his trademark humorous style to Mirra Andreeva calling him "beautiful."
Andreeva is having a fairytale run at the 2023 Madrid Open. She defeated Beatriz Haddad Maia in the second round to book a place in the third round, where she squared off against Magda Linette.
The Russian teenager celebrated her 16th birthday with a stunning victory over Linette at the WTA 1000 tournament. She defeated the Pole in a hard-fought 90-minute match, winning 6-3, 6-3.
Mirra Andreeva told the Tennis Channel after her victory that her favorite thing about competing at the Madrid Open was the atmosphere. She also praised three-time Grand Slam champion Andy Murray, calling him "beautiful" and "amazing."
"You know, the atmosphere here is so special. When you sit here and take in all the stars you see, like Andy Murray, you see his face. He is so beautiful in life," Andreeva said.
"Sorry. He is so amazing. This atmosphere, between the players, just to be here is incredible, simply incredible," she added.
Her remarks elicited a hilarious response from Murray, who joked on Twitter that the Russian would be even better once she had her eyes "fixed."
"Imagine how good she’s going to be when she gets her eyes fixed," he wrote.
Mirra Andreeva will face Aryna Sabalenka in the fourth round
Mirra Andreeva, who has now won her last 10 matches across the ITF and WTA tours, will face the second seed and 2023 Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka in the fourth round.
The Russian expressed confidence about her upcoming match, saying she will simply go there and play her best tennis because, unlike her opponent, she has nothing to lose.
"I have nothing to lose. I have to go there and show the best tennis I can. There is no pressure at all for me. There is just some pressure on her, I think. She will play a 16-year-old girl. Yes, I am pretty excited to play tomorrow," Andreeva said.
Andreeva also stated that, while she is not surprised by her performance, she did not expect to advance this far in the tournament - or to face Sabalenka in the fourth round.
"I did not expect to be here and playing Sabalenka in the round of 16. I am not really surprised with my level because I know the way I can play on the court. Yes, I cannot say I was surprised at my level, but I did not expect to be here, to go this far," Mirra Andreeva said.
