Mirra Andreeva captured her second consecutive WTA 1000 title after toppling World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 in the final of the BNP Paribas Open.
The 17-year-old phenom rallied from a set down to win her 12th straight match, after winning her first WTA 1000 title last month at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. Andreeva is the youngest player to notch 12 consecutive WTA 1000 wins since the format’s inception in 2009.
Andreava, who came into this event ranked No. 11, is the youngest player in the past 40 years to defeat World No. 1 and No. 2 in a WTA event. In the semifinals, Andreeva ended two-time champion and No. 2 Iga Swiatek’s title defense, beating her for the second time in as many tournaments.
“I would again like to thank myself for fighting until the end and for always believing in me and for never quitting,” Andreeva said on her on-court speech, referencing a quote from rapper Snoop Dogg.
“I tried to run like a rabbit today. 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 also.”
Andreeva is the third youngest Indian Wells champion after Martina Hingis in 1998 and Serena Williams in 1999. To win the title, Andreeva came through a remarkably difficult draw. In addition to her back-to-back wins over No. 1 and No. 2, she defeated Varvara Gracheva, 22nd seed Clara Tauson in a rematch of the Dubai final, 7th seed Elena Rybakina, and 23rd seed Elina Svitolina.
Indian Wells is Andreeva’s third career title and second of the season. Two of her three titles have now come at the WTA 1000 level and she is set to rise to career high No. 6 on the PIF WTA Rankings on Monday. She leaves Indian Wells as the outright tour leader in wins this season with 19.
© Copyrights Sixsports. All Rights Reserved.