Australian Open: 'Closer to fearless' Mirra Andreeva hails coach Conchita Martinez

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Mirra Andreeva lauded the work of coach Conchita Martinez in making her "closer to fearless". Teenager Andreeva won the first match of the Australian Open on Sunday (January 12), overcoming Marie Bouzkova 6-3 6-3.

The 17-year-old had a couple of wobbles, including pulling out of a second serve when the ball was in midair as thunder clapped above the closed roof at John Cain Arena, with stormy conditions having suspended much of the early play at Melbourne Park.

Yet Andreeva recovered to break and take a 5-3 lead in the second set, before going on to close it out at the first time of asking on her serve, volleying a winner out of Bouzkova's reach to seal the victory.

Andreeva, who lost to world number one Aryna Sabalenka in the last four of the Brisbane International last week, now holds a 16-7 winning record in grand slams. Only Coco Gauff (18), Maria Sharapova (24) and Nicole Vaidisova (26) have won more major matches than the Russian before turning 18.

Former Wimbledon champion Martinez, who triumphed at the All England Club in 1994, is overseeing Andreeva's development, and the youngster was full of praise for her coach.

"With her [as coach], I became closer to being fearless," said Andreeva in her post-match interview, in quotes reported by The Tennis Letter.

"Before I would never play a volley in match point. [But] here, I decided why not. Marie was putting every ball back."

Asked if she had managed to teach Martinez anything in return, Andreeva quipped: "I would say now she has a better sense of humour.

"Before, I'd say it was you know, not so good. It was okay. Now when she's with me everyone is always laughing at her jokes. Thanks to me."

Andreeva is no stranger to deep grand slam runs. She shocked Sabalenka in the quarter-finals at last year's French Open, before eventually losing to Jasmine Paolini in the semis.

In the process, she became the youngest women's singles grand slam semi-finalist since Martina Hingis at the 1997 US Open.

She is seeded 14th in Melbourne, and is the youngest player to feature in the top 20 of the WTA rankings since Nicole Vaidisova in October 2006.