Sabalenka to battle Andreeva in Indian Wells final

Agency :

Revenge is on the mind of Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva when she takes on world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the Indian Wells final today.

The rapidly rising 17-year-old lost to her Belarusian opponent in the fourth round of the Australian Open in January and it is clear what she is now aiming for.

“I’m going to try to take revenge because I have nothing to lose,” she said. “I feel like the match is going to be entertaining. There are going to be a lot of winners, a lot of great points.” Do not count her out just because she is young and inexperienced.

On March 14, Andreeva stunned defending champion Iga Swiatek 7-6 (7-1), 1-6, 6-3 to reach the title-decider against Sabalenka, who avenged her Australian Open final loss to Madison Keys with a 6-0, 6-1 rout.

Three-time Grand Slam champion Sabalenka, who reached the Indian Wells final in 2023, said she was also looking forward to playing Andreeva.

“It feels like old mama playing against the kid,” said the 26-year-old. “I’m like what, nine years older than her?
“She is two years younger than my sister and I look at my sister as a kid. It’s crazy.”
The duo will be squaring off for the sixth time – Andreeva won once, in the 2024 French Open quarter-finals, while Sabalenka has the upper hand with four wins, including both their encounters this season. Besides her Australian Open fourth-round victory, the latter also won in the Brisbane semi-finals.

But Andreeva, who will break into the top 10 after this tournament, has shown enormous potential this season and now has her sights set on back-to-back WTA 1000 titles following her triumph in Dubai in February.