At the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California, a stunning upset unfolded as Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva battled back to defeat the world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka with scores of 2-6, 6-4, 6-3. This remarkable victory on Sunday made the 17-year-old the youngest tournament champion since Serena Williams’ triumph in 1999.
Ranked 11th, Andreeva has been on an impressive run this season with a record of 19-3, the most wins by any woman in the tour this year. This triumph marked her second Masters 1000 title of 2025, the first being in Dubai this past February, which propelled her into the top 10 for the first time. She will regain her place in the WTA’s top tier when the latest rankings are released on Monday.
Channeling her Dubai victory speech and drawing inspiration from rapper Snoop Dogg’s famous words at his Hollywood Walk of Fame induction, Andreeva expressed gratitude towards her determination. She praised her resilience in a heartfelt speech, saying, “I would again like to thank myself for fighting until the end and for always believing in me and for never quitting.” In her post-match comments, she humorously commended herself, noting the challenging nature of the contest against Sabalenka’s fast-paced play.
Later in the day, the men’s final saw 13th-seed Jack Draper from Britain clinch his first Masters 1000 title by defeating Holger Rune of Denmark, the 12th seed, with a decisive 6-2, 6-2 scoreline. Draper, 23, achieved this success after taking down the reigning two-time champion Carlos Alcaraz in the semifinals. His stellar performance this year, charting a 13-2 record, will earn him a place in the ATP’s top 10.
Reflecting on her match against three-time Grand Slam winner Sabalenka, Andreeva displayed a burst of frustration in the first set but bounced back with finesse. With her right shoulder taped for support, she greatly improved her serve in the second set, establishing a stark 17-7 advantage in winners and clinching the set with a commanding ace.
The teenager continued her momentum into the third set by breaking Sabalenka at the start and never looked back. Andreeva sealed her victory with a powerful forehand winner, dropping to her knees in emotional triumph. This victory marked her fifth consecutive win against players in the top-10 and improved her record to 9-5 against these high-ranking opponents since 2024. Notably, her conquests include wins over both Sabalenka and world No. 2 Iga Swiatek, the latter falling to Andreeva in the semifinals at Indian Wells.
During the trophy ceremony, Sabalenka graciously congratulated Andreeva on her outstanding performance, acknowledging her impressive achievement. Andreeva’s breakthrough makes her the first player under 18 to conquer the top two seeded players at the same WTA event since Serena Williams in 1999. She is also the youngest to claim a WTA title by overcoming the world No. 1 in the final since Maria Sharapova did so in 2005.
Reflecting on her pre-match nerves, Andreeva humorously apologized to her coach, Conchita Martinez, for her earlier attitude. Sabalenka, reflecting on her past finals experience in California, joked about her runner-up trophy, expressing a “love-hate relationship” with the venue and humorously suggesting her trophies be stacked to simulate a championship win.
