Mirra Andreeva withdraws from Berlin Open after French Open title
French Open champion Mirra Andreeva has withdrawn from next week’s Berlin Open after deciding to adjust her preparations for the grass-court season, choosing additional rest before returning to competition.
The world No. 6 said she and her team agreed to prioritize recovery following her breakthrough triumph at Roland Garros rather than immediately returning to tournament action.
“My team and I have decided to take more time to rest, recover and prepare as well as possible for the grass-court season,” Andreeva said in a statement released by the WTA on Friday.
“I will miss my time in Berlin and hope to be back next year.”
Andreeva’s withdrawal comes just five days after winning the first Grand Slam title of her career. The 19-year-old defeated qualifier Maja Chwalinska 6-3, 6-2 in the French Open final to secure the biggest victory of her young career.
The Roland Garros crown was the sixth WTA singles title for Andreeva and her third championship of the 2026 season, following victories at the Adelaide International and the Upper Austria Ladies Linz.
Her decision reflects a cautious approach to the transition from clay to grass, with players often opting for additional recovery before adapting to the faster surface ahead of Wimbledon.
Berlin also lost another prominent player after world No. 11 Belinda Bencic withdrew because of a right ankle injury sustained before her opening match at last week’s HSBC Championships.
The withdrawals opened places in the main draw for world No. 22 Elise Mertens and French Open semifinalist Diana Shnaider, while Austria’s Sinja Kraus and New Zealand’s Lulu Sun earned berths in the qualifying competition.
Despite the late changes, the Berlin Open will still feature eight of the world’s top 10 players, making it one of the strongest grass-court tournaments ahead of Wimbledon.
Andreeva is now expected to begin her grass-court season at the Bad Homburg Open the following week, where she could face top players including Iga Swiatek, Elina Svitolina and Karolina Muchova in her final preparations for the year’s third Grand Slam.
Bencic, meanwhile, is targeting a return at Wimbledon after reaching the semifinals of the tournament last year.
The Berlin Open will be held from June 15-21 and features a 28-player singles draw and a 16-team doubles competition. Tennis great Serena Williams is also scheduled to compete in the doubles event, adding further star power to one of the premier warm-up tournaments before Wimbledon.
