'I would say that I'm still a kid sometimes. I can be a little pain'

Teenager Mirra Andreeva talks tears, learning on the job and annoying her coach, Conchita Martinez

- Tumaini Carayol

In the final weeks of her first season competing at the highest level, the best teenager in the world found herself close to a perfect ending. Facing off against her good friend and compatriot Daria Kasatkina in the Chinese city of Ningbo, Mirra Andreeva battled hard with hopes of winning the biggest title of her career. For a while, she had positioned herself well for victory, but she instead fell in three excruciating sets.

By the time the trophy ceremony had begun, tears of frustration were rolling down her face. Despite Kasatkina's admirable attempts to console her younger friend and the sweet sportsmanship they shared, the 17-year-old struggled to accept the defeat. She was inconsolable throughout both speeches and back into the locker room.

"This was a bit heavy," says Andreeva, laughing, as she reflects on her breakthrough season. "Not a nice moment. After, with Dasha, we shared nice moments together. She tried to calm me down. I don't think she succeeded because I started crying even more.

"It's a learning experience. I just have to accept it. Now when I look at those videos when I'm crying, I just laugh at myself because I couldn't hold it inside. It's an experience that had to be there in my career."

While it was an essential learning experience for Andreeva, her strong emotions were also an instructive sight for those watching. Those tears showed how much she cares about her craft and the high standards she sets for herself, even at such a young age. She refuses to accept anything but success.