Dubai champions, a childhood crush and making US Open semis

Mirra Andreeva and Andrey Rublev have both won the Dubai Tennis Championships, the 19-year-old did it last year and the 28-year-old in 2022. Both are from Russia and it emerged on Tuesday during their semi-final run in the US Open mixed doubles that the teenage French Open champion also used to have a crush on her partner.

"I've never said anything, I've never told him anything as well, but I used to have a little crush on him as well," Andreeva said during an interview on the court.

She added that it was "like a dream come true to play with my favourite" before being unable to finish that sentence when Rublev interrupted to give her a hug as the crowd cheered.

The crush is over – Andreeva clarified it was when she was 15 or 16 – but their tournament goes on. The Russians will play in the semi-finals against Karolina Muchova and Jakub Mensik.

The Russian pair began the event by outlasting Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori 1-4, 4-1 (11-9), then emerged from another match tiebreaker to edge Diana Shnaider and Casper Ruud for their semi-final spot.

Rublev is perhaps most recognisable for his red hair and his occasional outbursts on the court. Andreeva definitely noticed his appearance, but thought he was kind despite the tirades.

"I mean, first of all, his hair, OK?" she responded when asked why she was drawn to him.

"So many interviews I saw and so many things that I heard from other people, I just knew he's a great person. I didn't know him at that time yet. I don't know, I just feel like he's super kind, very nice with everyone. Again, the hair. I don't know, everyone said that every time he would step on court, he would look tired. I don't know, he was looking great every time for me."

Rublev's response to Andreeva’s revelation?

"You know this typical moments when the kids, they don't have taste yet, they need to try some stupid things before they start to have it?" Rublev said. "I was in the part of stupid thing, in the transition moment."

Rublev has reached 10 Grand Slam quarter-finals, including four at the US Open, in singles. Now he's in the semi-finals at a major.

"We see how Mirra affects me," he said.