WATCH: Novak Djokovic's confession of pretending to hear fans chant his name instead of Federer's resurfaces amid Mirra Andreeva's similar admission
Mirra Andreeva's admission following her fourth-round victory at the French Open was somewhat similar to what Novak Djokovic said after his triumph over Roger Federer in the 2019 Wimbledon final. The Russian defeated Varvara Gracheva in the fourth round of the 2024 French Open.
Mirra Andreeva is carrying her impressive form into the French Open and has booked her spot in the quarterfinals after a straight-set win against Gracheva on Monday. The first set was a nail-biter, but Andreeva edged it 7-5 before taking control in the second set, winning 6-2 to clinch the match.
After Andreeva's post-match interview, a fan on X hilariously tried to compare Andreeva's statements with those of Novak Djokovic from the 2019 Wimbledon Championships.
In her post-match interview, Andreeva revealed that when the crowd was chanting for the hometown favorite, Varvara Gracheva, she stayed motivated by pretending they were cheering for her instead.
"They were screaming "Varvara-Varvara", I was trying to imagine that they scream my name. It helped."
After defeating Roger Federer in the 2019 Wimbledon final, Novak Djokovic made a similar remark, leaving the media in splits.
"Crowd is chanting Roger, I hear Novak. I know it sounds silly, but it is like that. I tried to convince myself that it's like that," Djokovic had said.
Novak Djokovic was part of an exhausting yet classic Wimbledon final against Roger Federer that lasted 4 hours and 57 minutes. Federer, a powerful opponent, made it difficult for Djokovic, as all of his wins were decided in tiebreakers. The Serb was able to overcome Federer 7-6(5), 1-6, 7-6(4), 4-6, 13-12(3).
Mirra Andreeva and Novak Djokovic have advanced to the quarterfinals of the French Open
Mirra Andreeva's run at the French Open has been nothing short of spectacular. She defeated Emina Bektas, Victoria Azarenka, Peyton Stearns, and Varvara Gracheva in dominant fashion to secure her spot in the quarterfinals. In doing so, she became the youngest player to reach the quarterfinals of the French Open singles since Sesil Karatantcheva in 2005.
For those unaware, Gracheva was the last French player left in the tournament until Andreeva knocked her out. Remarkably, the Russian youngster has dropped just one set throughout the tournament so far. The World No. 38, Andreeva is set for a thrilling quarterfinal against the formidable Aryna Sabalenka.
Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic took down Pierre-Hugues Herbert, Roberto Carballés Baena, Lorenzo Musetti, and Francisco Cerundolo to earn his spot in the quarterfinals against Casper Ruud. While the 37-year-old faced stiff challenges from both Musetti and Cerundolo, he showed his resilience and skill to push through to the next round.
Despite a dominant 2023 season that saw him win three Grand Slams, Novak Djokovic has yet to claim a title in the 2024 season. His best performances on the European clay court swing have been semifinal appearances at the Monte Carlo Masters and the Geneva Open. Notably, Djokovic was knocked out of the semifinals of the Monte Carlo Masters by Casper Ruud.