'Not going to be next Barty': Mirra Andreeva offers words of wisdom to fellow teenage prodigy

Wednesday, 07 January 2026 at 21:54

byJordan Reynolds

Mirra Andreeva has dealt with massive expectations since she burst onto the scene, making her the perfect person to give Emerson Jones advice.

Andreeva was 15 when she won her first WTA main draw match at the 2023 Madrid Open against Leylah Fernandez. That made her the third-youngest women's singles player to secure a 1000-level victory, behind only Coco Gauff and CiCi Bellis.

A few weeks later, the 16-year-old Andreeva reached the fourth round at Wimbledon, solidifying her place as one of the sport's best talents at that age. Many felt she was destined for greatness from that moment.

Andreeva's progress since has been impressive. At 17, she won her maiden WTA 1000 titles at the 2025 Dubai Championships and the 2025 Indian Wells Open, and was a French Open semifinalist at that age in 2024.

17-year-old Australian Emerson Jones has yet to reach those heights. However, hopes for her are high. She sits at a career-high ranking of world No. 147 and started 2026 with a straight-sets triumph over former Wimbledon semifinalist Tatjana Maria at the Brisbane International.

The teenager's subsequent loss to Liudmila Samsonova will not dampen the hopes many have. How focused sections of the Australian media are on her was demonstrated when Andreeva got asked about the young player at a press conference in Brisbane.

A reporter wanted to know whether Andreeva had any advice for someone like Jones as someone who has dealt with high pressure at a young age. The 18-year-old answered that Jones should not focus on comparisons or comments made by others.

"Yeah, I can say that, I mean, she's playing very well at such a young age, and I just think that if I had a chance to tell her something, maybe I would have said not to focus on whatever people say, because there's going to be a lot of people that would say, 'oh, you're going to be the next Sharapova or the next Ash Barty."

"You just have to focus that you are who you are, and you have your own path. I'm Mirra Andreeva. She's Emerson Jones. She's not going to be the next Ash Barty, because Ash Barty stopped her career. She's not playing anymore. She's going to have her own career, and I think she should focus on making her own path in tennis."

Andreeva's words might be a case where Jones should listen to what someone else says. Few others can relate to the pressure of being a teenager dealing with high expectations, and any coping mechanisms to keep developing from someone like Andreeva could be very helpful.

Coco Gauff is the other player who could help someone like Jones. She broke through at Wimbledon as a 15-year-old, including beating Venus Williams, one of her childhood idols. Sections of the American media have placed heavy expectations on her since.

Gauff has dealt with that superbly, becoming a two-time Grand Slam champion at the French Open and carrying herself with class. She could be someone that Jones is already inspired by.