Mirra Andreeva stops No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka for Indian Wells title

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. — Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva got here again to beat No. 1-ranked Aryna Sabalenka 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 within the BNP Paribas Open on Sunday to make the 17-year-old the match’s youngest champion since Serena Williams in 1999.

The Eleventh-ranked Andreeva improved to 19-3 this season — probably the most wins by a lady on tour — and picked up her second Masters 1000 title of 2025. The opposite got here at Dubai in February, which earned her a top-10 rating for the primary time. Andreeva will return to that higher tier in Monday’s WTA rankings.

Revisiting a theme from her Dubai victory speech that referred to one thing rapper Snoop Dogg mentioned when he acquired a star on the Hollywood Stroll of Fame, Andreeva informed Sunday’s crowd: “I would again like to thank myself for fighting until the end and for always believing in me and for never quitting.”

“I tried to run like a rabbit today,” Andreeva continued, praising the way in which Sabalenka hit speedy photographs. “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 [in the win], also.”

When she dropped the primary set in opposition to three-time Grand Slam title winner Sabalenka, Andreeva put her physique into the windup after grabbing a ball and angrily smacked it towards the stands.

Andreeva — sporting coaching tape on her proper shoulder — performed significantly better within the second set, notably on serve, whereas compiling a 17-7 edge in winners. Quickly sufficient, that set belonged to her when she hit an ace to carry at love for the primary time all day.

Within the third set, {the teenager} began in one of the best ways potential, breaking the big-serving Sabalenka at love. Andreeva took a 1-0 lead within the third with a too-strong passing shot that Sabalenka, a 26-year-old from Belarus, might barely get her racket on.

Andreeva ended the match with one final forehand winner, then dropped to her knees and coated her face with each fingers.

This was her fifth consecutive victory over a top-10 opponent, and Andreeva is 9-5 in opposition to gamers ranked that top because the begin of 2024. That features two victories every over Sabalenka and No. 2 Iga Swiatek, the five-time main champion who misplaced to Andreeva within the semifinals at Indian Wells.

“Congrats on an incredible run,” Sabalenka mentioned throughout the trophy ceremony. “Great tournament. Great tennis.”

Andreeva is the primary participant underneath age 18 to beat the ladies ranked No. 1 and No. 2 on the identical WTA match since Williams defeated Lindsay Davenport and Martina Hingis on the 1999 US Open.

She can be the youngest to win a WTA trophy by defeating the lady ranked No. 1 in a ultimate since Maria Sharapova beat Davenport in Tokyo in 2005.

Afterward, Andreeva joked about her prematch conduct along with her coach, 1994 Wimbledon champion Conchita Martinez.

“I know I was, as you like to say, a little brat, a little bit, in the morning,” Andreeva mentioned. “That’s because I was super nervous. I’m sorry for that.”

Sabalenka additionally misplaced the 2023 ultimate within the California desert and made gentle of that Sunday when she was handed her glass {hardware} for being the runner-up — an identical however a lot smaller model of what the champion receives.

“I have a love-hate relationship with this place,” Sabalenka mentioned. “I’ll just put this trophy on top of another one and pretend it’s the trophy for winning.”

The Related Press contributed to this report.