Teenager beats world No 1. 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 in final
Russian climbs to career high ranking of No 6.
At Indian Wells, the 17-year-old Russian Mirra Andreeva overcame world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 to win the biggest title of her career, continuing her amazing ascent at the top levels of professional tennis.
In the final two rounds, Andreeva defeated the world’s top two players, Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek, to cap off an incredible run in the California desert. In her arduous voyage through the draw, Andreeva also triumphed over Elina Svitolina and Elena Rybakina.
Andreeva, who last month broke into the top 10, will now reach a career-high ranking of No. 6. She is on a 12-match winning streak, the longest in her young career, and has won two of the first three WTA 1000 tournaments of the season after also taking home the Dubai Open in February.
After years of putting herself in a position to compete for grand slam titles, Andreeva departs Indian Wells. Sabalenka had been in outstanding form at Indian Wells, where she advanced to the final without dropping a set and crushed Madison Keys, her opponent in the Australian Open final, 6-0, 6-1, marking her first time on American soil since her victory at the US Open.
Early on, the Belarusian continued to play well, rolling through the first set with an authoritative stroke. Andreeva remained calm in spite of everything and pushed her way back into the match. She used her resourcefulness to her advantage throughout the second set, breaking Sabalenka with a barrage of precise drop shots and searching for chances to strike down the line with her reliable backhand.
Since making her debut on the WTA tour at the age of 15, Andreeva’s skill has been indisputable. However, she has demonstrated notable offensive gains this year, combining genuine firepower with her intelligent, diverse game. Her backhand is now among the finest in the world, and her first serve, which reached 126 mph against Swiatek, has developed into a true weapon.
Andreeva took a huge risk in the last set in one of the most important matches of her career. She served brilliantly and forced an increasingly unsteady Sabalenka to make mistakes, sealing a historic victory.
