An emotional Mirra Andreeva has spoken after suffering a painful three-set defeat to Coco Gauff in the quarter-finals at the 2026 US Open.

World No 5 Andreeva fell 6-2, 6-7(7), 2-6 to fourth-ranked Gauff in Arthur Ashe Stadium on Wednesday in her maiden quarter-final at the US Open.

The 19-year-old Russian was unable to convert match points at 6-5 and 7-6 in the second set tiebreak, and she now holds a 0-6 career record against the 22-year-old American.

Andreeva was aiming to secure her second Grand Slam title after winning the 2026 French Open, while Gauff is chasing her third major and second US Open crown.

Here is everything Andreeva said during her post-match press conference.

Q. You had the match in a winning position a couple of times. Just looking back, what are some things you wish you could have done differently when you had that momentum and the edge?

ANDREEVA: Maybe risk more, I guess. I think at that moment I kind of just wanted to play, you know, wanted to make a rally a longer point. So I think that if I maybe would have gone for something more risky to see what would have happened, maybe that would be the only thing that I would change.

Q. You guys have had some good battles. What makes her so tough to face?

ANDREEVA: I think she’s just more patient than me in a way that, you know, at some moments she makes less mistakes, and obviously she gets a lot of balls back, which I think after, I’m the one that’s trying to rush and make more mistakes than her. So, I think something to also see and take into account for the next matches that I’ll play against her.

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Q. I know in Wimbledon when you exited there you were really upset, but I wonder if this good run here, have you learned anything about what it’s like kind of after winning a Grand Slam? Did this tournament here prove to you anything about yourself?

ANDREEVA: Well, maybe in a way that I finally was able to win more matches. I was more positive to myself. But yeah, I mean, other than that, I don’t know.

Q. A lot of players talk about being careful with their body language and what they’re showing on the court. Are you, how aware are you of when things were getting away from you in the third set and you’re throwing your racket and getting upset with yourself, that you could be sending a message to the opponent that you’re in trouble and not feeling the belief anymore?

ANDREEVA: Yeah, that’s true. I mean, I think every emotion that you show after your opponent is aware of something. But at that point, I felt like I was holding my emotions for too long, not reacting on a lot of points in the first set, in the second set as well after, having much points, losing the set. But yeah, then I just, at one point, I just felt like I needed to let it out. And when I let those emotions out, I don’t really think if I show anything to my opponent. And at that point, I didn’t think about it either.

Q. Are there moments from your performance in Flushing Meadows that you’re really proud of, that you’re going to take away with you?

ANDREEVA: I mean, right now, I don’t know if I can say anything about that, maybe in a couple of days. But now, it’s hard.

Q. Just curious what your level of stress was on the court. She seemed stressed initially and struggling with her serve, and I’m curious how you felt, particularly in the second set.

ANDREEVA: I felt like I was less nervous today. I just went into this match thinking to just go for my shots, do whatever I have to do. I saw that she was nervous in the beginning, so I just tried to use it, you know, into my side. I tried to pressure her more, go for my shots more. Yeah, and then after she started playing better, at some point, I started making more mistakes. And then, that’s how the game goes. After, in the end, she was the winner. But today, I don’t know, I didn’t feel like I was more nervous than I am usually.

Q. She plays a lot of three-set matches. I think almost half of her matches this year have been three sets and wins a lot. So I’m wondering, as it got to the second set and at the end of the second set, if that sort of enters into your mind, feeling like, I really need to close this out now.

ANDREEVA: No, I didn’t think about it. I tried to think less. I just tried to put my focus on every point that I have to play. So I know that she wins, now as you told me, yes, she wins a lot of three-set matches. And I mean, when I was playing, I didn’t think that, you know, I have to close it out. Oh my God, what will happen if I’m not? So, I was just playing point by point.

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