Mirra Andreeva won French Open but Russia did not: How and why her nationality has been erased

When Mirra Andreeva slammed her final backhand cross-court winner, she threw her racket into the air and dropped to her knees on the clay of Paris. The shot made her the French Open champion, and she was celebrating.

At just 19, Andreeva became the youngest women's singles champion at Roland Garros since Monica Seles won her third consecutive title in Paris in 1992. She has been seen as one of the sport's brightest prospects, and her 6-3, 6-2 win over Maja Chwalinska in the final of the French Open on Saturday helped her storm into the elites of women's tennis.

The teenager now has six singles titles alongside three doubles trophies and a silver in doubles at the Paris Olympics. Slowly, the potential that everyone saw in the youngster is turning into big-game performance.

Andreeva is also the first Russian to win the French Open women's singles title since Maria Sharapova's 2014 triumph. However, unlike Sharapova, Andreeva cannot celebrate her Russian identity, at least in front of the tennis world.

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Erasure of Andreeva's Russian nationality

As Andreeva was celebrating her victory, two fans in the stands displayed Russian flags, joining the celebrations. However, the security guards quickly reached the seats of these fans and instructed them to put the flag back.

Tennis writer Ben Rothenberg took to X to share the incident. "As Andreeva celebrated her win, a pair of fans inside Chatrier whipped out and waved a Russian flag to celebrate Andreeva’s country. A Roland Garros security guard quickly swooped in and had them put it away in the guy’s purse."

Andreeva was born in Russia's Siberia, then moved to Sochi, and eventually to France, where she developed her tennis skills. However, her victory will not be credited to Russia.

Andreeva participated in the French Open as a 'neutral athlete'. Thus, she could not get the Russian flag next to her name, and her win will also not bring any official recognition for Russia. Unlike for other winners of the title, organisers did not hoist the Russian flag during the trophy presentation ceremony and the national anthem of the country was also not played.

19-year-old Mirra Andreeva defeated Maja Chwalinska at the French Open Women's singles final. Image: AP

Why Andreeva's national identity is not being acknowledged?

Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 sparked massive backlash from around the world, including from sporting bodies. Shortly after the invasion, the International Tennis Federation (ITF), WTA, and ATP decided to ban Russia and Belarus from participating in any team competitions. Athletes from the country have been allowed to play, but they feature in tournaments as 'neutral athletes.'

The ban coincides with Andreeva's rise in the tennis world as one of the most exciting talents in the sport. This is the complex situation that the teenager has had to deal with in her short career so far.

When she beat Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk in the semifinals, Kostyuk refused to shake hands. Ukrainian players have done the same to their Russian opponents ever since the war started in 2022, and Andreeva has been at the receiving end of this several times.

Andreeva's rise as a generational talent is unfolding in the shadows of the current-day geopolitical realities of the world. She has managed to stay focused on her career so far despite repeated queries about the war. However, as she keeps growing in the game, the difficult questions will not remain sidelined for long.