Mirra Andrejewa got off to a shaky start but then won eleven games in a row. Aryna Sabalenka now faces elimination.
A surprise at the WTA Finals: French Open champion Mirra Andrejewa has defeated world number two Aryna Sabalenka and reached the semi-finals after a true display of dominance. The 19-year-old Russian beat the favourite from Belarus 6-4, 6-0 to celebrate her second victory at the season-ending tournament for the world’s top female tennis players. After trailing 1–4 in the first set, the world number three won eleven games in a row and converted her match point after just 62 minutes.
“Oh my God, I’m even happier than I was after my first match,” said Andreeva: “I feel like I could play two more matches; I’m so full of energy. I’m so pumped up. I’m so happy.” Earlier, Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova had already secured her place in the semi-finals at Indian Wells.
WTA Finals: Sabalenka faces elimination
For Andrejewa, who has won three titles this year, including her first Grand Slam triumph at Roland Garros, this is her first appearance in the singles draw at the WTA Finals.
Sabalenka (28), on the other hand, faces an uphill battle to reach the semi-finals. With a win against Elina Svitolina on Friday, the Belarusian – who suffered two more or less surprising final defeats at the season-ending tournament in 2022 against France’s Caroline Garcia and in 2025 against Kazakhstan’s Yelena Rybakina – can still progress further. Rybakina, who subsequently rose to number one, is unable to defend her title due to a viral infection.