Teen sensation Mirra Andreeva has made history as the youngest player since 2001 to reach the Indian Wells women’s final, defeating defending champion Iga Swiatek in a gripping semi-final showdown.

The 17-year-old Russian secured a hard-fought 7-6 (7-1), 1-6, 6-3 victory over the world number two, extending her remarkable winning streak to 11 matches. 

This marks Andreeva’s second win over Swiatek in as many tournaments, having previously beaten her in the Dubai quarter-finals before clinching the WTA 1000 title.

Andreeva now faces top seed Aryna Sabalenka in Sunday’s final. The Belarusian powerhouse stormed past American Madison Keys in just 51 minutes, delivering a commanding 6-0, 6-1 victory to avenge her Australian Open defeat.

Reflecting on her performance, ninth-seeded Andreeva acknowledged the challenge she faced: "After she completely dominated the second set, I told myself to just keep fighting. I had to focus on putting the ball in play and grinding out every point. In the end, it worked out."

Andreeva’s impressive run mirrors that of Kim Clijsters, the last teenager to reach the Indian Wells final, who fell to Serena Williams in 2001. Now, she faces an even bigger challenge in Sabalenka, the world’s top-ranked player.

Sabalenka, determined to erase the disappointment of her Australian Open loss to Keys, left no room for doubt in their semi-final rematch. 

"That loss really hurt, and I needed time to recover. I didn’t want history to repeat itself, so I was completely focused and hungry for this win," she said.

Sunday’s final promises an exciting clash between experience and youthful brilliance, as Andreeva seeks to continue her fairytale run against a formidable opponent.

Source: BBC

BDST: 1202 HRS, MAR 16, 2025
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