Aryna Sabalenka to battle teen Mirra Andreeva in Indian Wells final

INDIAN WELLS – Revenge is on the mind of Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva when she takes on world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the Indian Wells final on March 16.

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 in January 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.

“Really tough match, tough conditions,” she said of beating Swiatek. “I tried to really hang in there. It was not easy, but I’m super happy with the win today and I can’t wait to play finals on Sunday.”

After a tight first set, Andreeva was flawless in the tiebreak, leaning over and letting out a roar when she enticed a forehand error from Swiatek on set point.

The Polish second seed stormed back in the second set, levelling the contest when Andreeva’s backhand went wide.

Andreeva, who was studying handwritten notes during the changeovers, grabbed the momentum back by breaking to open the third set as temperatures in the California desert plummeted and the wind picked up.

She ripped a forehand winner to go up 3-1 as the frustration began to show on Swiatek, who dumped a backhand into the net on match point.

“After she literally killed me in the second set I thought, okay, I’ll just try to fight,” Andreeva said.

“There is not much I could do about it, she was playing amazing. I just decided to fight for every point. It doesn’t matter how I put the ball in but I have to put it in. In the end it wasn’t too bad.”

The ninth seed is coached by former Wimbledon champion Conchita Martinez, who reached the Indian Wells finals twice during her playing days.

“I know that my coach lost in the finals, so I’m going to try to be better than her,” added Andreeva with a laugh.

The loss ends five-time Grand Slam champion Swiatek’s bid to become the first woman to win the tournament in the southern California desert three times.

A ruthless Sabalenka, meanwhile, needed just 52 minutes to avenge her loss to Keys in the Melbourne Park final.

The Belarusian rolled through the first set with ease despite windy conditions.

The crowd erupted when Keys won her first game of the match to cut Sabalenka’s lead to 5-1 in the second but that would be it for the American.

“I didn’t expect that match to be that fast but I’m super happy,” Sabalenka said. “Much needed revenge.”

She had her revenge, now it remains to be seen if Andreeva will get hers. REUTERS