Mirra Andreeva, third time lucky? The Russian teenager came from a set down to defeat world number one Aryna Sabalenka for the Indian Wells WTA 1000 title on Sunday, cementing a meteoric rise behind the coaching wisdom of Conchita Martinez.
Andreeva, who is certain to rise to a career-high sixth in the world when the rankings are updated on Monday, said: “Maybe [it’s] fast, but I like it. If it seems to be coming quick then ill take it.
She tries not to measure herself against the teenage phenoms of yesteryear, and yet the comparisons are pervasive.
She added another tier one title to her collection having already become the youngest ever winner of a WTA 1000 title in Dubai last month and at 17 years 321 days old was only the third youngest woman to lift the Indian Wells trophy behind Martina Hingis (17 years, 166 days) and Serena Williams (17 years, 169 days).
She not only outlasted world number one 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 but defeated world number two and defending champion Iga Swiatek in the semis, the first overt 18 to beat the top two at one WTA in the same event since Williams took down Lindsay Davenport and Hingis at the 1999 US Open.
With the likes of Spain’s 1994 Wimbledon champion Martinez, who joined forces with the youngster not long after her early Indian Wells exit in 2022, she is delighting in a protective, more experienced team.
“I already felt like we clicked really good from the first day of us working together,” the Andreeva, 17, said this week. “I felt right at ease with her.
It seems like both of us are pretty energetic, and I feel like both of us know how to be energetic, but also when to dial it down — dial it back, take it seriously, you know?
Martinez’ calming presence was needed by Andreeva on Sunday, who was all nerves before facing top-ranked Belarusian and four-time winner in their past five meetings, including twice this year, Sabalenkam.
I would be rather say brat, and there was so much nerves on a Sunday morning,” Andreeva recalled of her
For instance, he said, “When I get nervous, I lean a little bit towards closing up my personality, I kind of close up and don’t let anybody in. I don’t really talk much.
I guess Conchita tried to create a nice and comfortable mood around us today, but I had a little bit of a hard time in the morning since I was nervous. Ultimately, she made the best of it.”
With a chance at a third 1000 title before her 18th birthday in April, Andreeva wasn’t spending much time enjoying her triumph.
Andreeva, 16, who is seeded 11th for the Michigan Open beginning Tuesday, said: “I think we are going to celebrate at the airport or in the airplane, because we have a flight to Miami tomorrow morning.”