Andreeva stuns Rybakina in Dubai, becomes youngest ever WTA 1000 Finalist

Mirra Andreeva has become the youngest player to reach a WTA 1000 final since the format’s inception in 2009 after the 17-year-old defeated No. 6 seed Elena Rybakina 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 in the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships semifinals, winning the last five games in a row from 3-1 down in the decider.

The No. 12 seed is the third teenager to reach a WTA 1000 final since the format’s inception in 2009 following 2021 Rome champion Iga Swiatek and 2023 Cincinnati winner Coco Gauff. It will be her second tour-level final following Iasi last July, where Andreeva claimed her maiden title.

Having defeated Swiatek in the quarterfinals and Marketa Vondrousova in the second round this week, Andreeva is also the youngest player to beat three Grand Slam champions in a single tournament since a 17-year-old Maria Sharapova defeated Svetlana Kuznetsova, Anastasia Myskina and Serena Williams at the 2004 WTA Finals Los Angeles.

“I don’t know if it’s a paradox or something”: Afterwards, Andreeva said that the most remarkable aspect of this breakthrough week was how little she had expected it. She was coming off a heartbreaking 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 second-round loss in Doha last week to Rebecca Sramkova, and was not in a positive frame of mind.

“Honestly, after playing in Doha and losing tough second round, having a lot of opportunities, I just felt a bit down,” she said. “Not depressed. I was, ‘Well, maybe now this time I’m not playing my best tennis, so OK, it’s fine.’ Last year I didn’t play so good on these courts in Dubai. I was like, ‘Well, OK, whatever. I’m just going to play. We’re going to see.’

“In the end when you don’t think about what’s going to happen, it always ends up being one of the best tournaments of your career. I don’t know if it’s a paradox or something, but it’s just like this.”

Andreeva is guaranteed to rise to a new career high in next week’s edition of the PIF WTA Rankings. She will be No. 11 if she loses the final, but if she defeats Karolina Muchova or Clara Tauson to claim the title, she will make her Top 10 debut — becoming the youngest player to be ranked inside the Top 10 since Nicole Vaidisova in 2007.