Daily Dose of Social Media: Mirra Andreeva enjoys cornhole fun, Mensik’s admiration for Djokovic catches attention

In a new Daily Dose of Social Media, an old video of Jakub Mensik with the ATP resurfaced just before facing Novak Djokovic in the Miami Open final, where he declared him his 'biggest idol.' Meanwhile, Mirra Andreeva caught attention playing cornhole during her time in Miami.

On the other hand, Karolina Muchova left the best images of her time in the American city, while Alexandra Eala received praise from legendary Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao.

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Andreeva takes a break and plays cornhole with her team

Mirra Andreeva had fun with her team playing cornhole during her time at the Miami Open. In a video posted by the WTA, the teenager is seen playing the popular North American game with her coach. The world No. 6 was eliminated from the tournament in the third round after losing to 17th seed Amanda Anisimova, ending a 13-match winning streak. However, the Russian teenager will have a chance for redemption in the doubles draw, where she reached the final alongside her compatriot Diana Shnaider, and they will look to claim the title on Saturday afternoon.

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Manny Pacquiao sends praise to Alexandra Eala

Alexandra Eala (world No. 140) stole the spotlight during her time at the Miami Open, where she received a wildcard and surprisingly reached the semifinals of the tournament after a brilliant run, defeating 2025 Australian Open champion Madison Keys (No. 5) and 5-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek (No. 2).

The 19-year-old tennis player received praise from arguably the most renowned Filipino athlete in history, boxer Manny Pacquiao, who sent his greetings to Eala on social media.

“You may not have made the finals, but you won the hearts of the world, Alex Eala! The whole nation is proud. This is just the beginning. Keep fighting and inspiring. You’ve shown the heart of a true champion. Laban lang! The future is bright for you. Proud na proud kami sa’yo! #PinoyPride 🇵🇭👊🏽🎾”

Eala will reach her career-high ranking starting Monday, as world No. 75, and among players under 20, she is only behind Mirra Andreeva (No. 6). The Filipino player was one of the crowd favorites this year in Miami, showing her contagious joy on the court. Eala shared a photo on social media, posted on the X PH Sports account, joining the Ghibli-field photo trend with an image of her in Miami.

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Azarenka embraces South American tradition: "I might be addicted" to mate

Victoria Azarenka showed how to prepare mate, the traditional South American drink that she recently incorporated into her diet. The former world No. 1 demonstrated how she has embraced a tradition deeply rooted in countries like Argentina and Uruguay.

A few days ago, she shared how she brings her personal mate when driving, but this time, Azarenka gave a full tutorial on how to prepare it—just like many sports stars, including footballers Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez or tennis players Diego Schwartzman and Francisco Cerúndolo, who are known to enjoy the beverage.

"I always see the Argentinian players walk with this cup, and I was like, why are they always walking with it? Now I know the secret," the three-time Grand Slam champion said. "Come with me to learn how to make mate from South America," she added while being guided by her fitness coach, Emiliano Berna, who taught her the step-by-step process.

Upon tasting the infusion, Azarenka reacted enthusiastically. "Doesn’t taste the same as yours," she commented before taking another sip. "Whoa, it’s so good. Gracias! My first mate! I might be addicted. Salud!"

The Belarusian recently suffered an injury that forced her to retire in the third round of the Miami Open while facing Karolina Muchova (0-6, ret.). The shoulder injury will keep Azarenka off the courts for some time, but she recently stated that although recovery will take a while, it will not be a long-term issue.

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Muchova shares behind-the-scenes moments from the Miami Open

Karolina Muchova shared a series of photos from her time at the Miami Open, showcasing behind-the-scenes moments from her days in the city, along with several on-court pictures from the tournament. The 28-year-old Czech reached the third round, where she fell to 22nd seed Elina Svitolina. Muchova also attended an NBA game featuring the Miami Heat a week ago, accompanied by her family, including her footballer brother, Filip Mucha.

“Without him, I wouldn’t be here”: Mensik’s words on Djokovic

As Jakub Mensik prepares to play his first Masters 1000 final at the Miami Open, an old ATP video from a year ago has resurfaced, featuring the Czech declaring that his biggest idol is 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic—precisely his opponent in Sunday's match.

When asked about his dream match, the young Czech didn’t hesitate to name the Serbian as his ideal rival on the stage where Djokovic has found the most success. "It will be Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open, for sure," he said.

In a Q&A session with the ATP’s official site, Mensik also chose Djokovic as his greatest influence and tennis idol. "My tennis inspiration is Novak Djokovic. Because of him, I started to play tennis. He’s my biggest idol, and without him, I wouldn’t be here," he stated.

He also spoke about his first experiences with the sport: "I was four years old, and in front of my house, there are two outdoor tennis courts. I asked my mom and dad if I could try to play tennis as well. That was the start of my career."

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