Tennis-Russian teen Mirra Andreeva tops No.1 Aryna Sabalenka to win Indian Wells title

Andreeva, 17, is the third youngest player to win the Indian Wells women's title after Martina Hingis (1998) and Serena Williams (1999)

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Age is just a number for 17-year-old Russian tennis phenom Mirra Andreeva as she topped No.1 Aryna Sabalenka 2-6 6-4 6-3 in the BNP Paribas Open, also known as the Indian Wells title. This win made Andreeva the youngest tournament champion since Serena Williams in 1999. She has improved her record to 19-3 – the most for a woman on tour this season, marking her second WTA victory at the 1000 level.

Andreeva's journey to victory was not without its challenges. She struggled to find her form in the first set, even displaying open frustration. However, she didn't let this deter her. Andreeva's resilience shone through as she found her form in the second set, mainly through her serve, which she used to compile a 17-7 edge in winners. This determination boosted her confidence and set the stage for her eventual triumph. 

After trading breaks to open the third set, Andreeva continued to show her fearlessness against the best in the game. She started the deciding set off strong by breaking Sabalenka’s serve at love. Andreeva took a 1-0 lead and continued her momentum with a detonating passing shot that not even Sabalenka could recover. 

Sabalenka made some untimely unforced errors as the match progressed, such as the breakpoint that hit the net in the third game, giving Andreesa the advantage. The 17-year-old from Russia closed it out with a forehand winner. She finished with a 6-1 advantage in aces and a better first-serve percentage of 71 to 60.

Overwhelmed with emotion, she dropped to the ground and covered her face with both hands, a raw display of her joy and relief at her victory.

AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill

After initially losing to Sabalenka in her last two matches this year, she has now won her fifth consecutive match against a top-10 opponent. Those include defeating top-ranked Sabanlenka and No.2 Iga Swiatek, a five-time Grand Slam Champion who fell to Andreeva in the semifinal round—impressive for someone who wouldn’t legally vote in America.

"I tried to run like a rabbit today," Andreeva continued, praising the way Sabalenka hit speedy shots. "It was really hard to just keep up, so I just tried my best and that's why I would thank myself because I think I played a little part [in the win], also."

Andreeva is the first player under 18 in WTA history to beat the top two ranked at the same tournament since Williams defeated Lindsay Davenport and Martina Hingis in the 1999 US Open. She’s also the youngest to win a WTA trophy by defeating the No.1 ranked in a final since Maria Sharapova defeated Davenport in Tokyo in 2005.

A star is ascending.