From the Arabian to the Californian deserts, Mirra Andreeva’s rampage continues. This extraordinary 17-year-old from Siberia last night defeated world No1 Aryna Sabalenka to win the biggest title of her career in Indian Wells.
She has now won a dozen matches in a row after taking the title in Dubai last month and the new world No6 is on an express train to the top of the game. Sabalenka won the first set but Andreeva was irresistible thereafter, coming through 2-6, 6-4, 6-3.
Andreeva’s titles in Dubai and Indian Wells sit at the 1,000 level just below the Grand Slams. She cut a swathe through the biggest names in the sport this fortnight, beating Elena Rybakina, Elina Svitolina, Iga Swiatek and now Sabalenka.
Andreeva requires at least one Grand Slam title before she can be considered alongside Swiatek and Sabalenka as the best players in the world but that will surely come. She made the semi-finals at the French Open last year and her mastery of slices and drop shots off both wings suggest she will become a fine grass court player.
Only Serena Williams and Martina Hingis have won this title at a younger age and it would be a surprise if Andreeva does not join those two as a serial major champion.
There are simply no holes in her game. Her tennis idol is Andy Murray and there is much of the Scot in her style: aggressive returns, miraculous defensive skills and a mastery of the drop shot.
Andreeva’s double-handed backhand is already the best in the world and by some distance. The serve and forehand are solid and will improve further, under the expert guidance of 1994 Wimbledon champion Conchita Martinez.
But it is between the ears where Andreeva’s true greatness dwells. She has a serenity in the heat of battle and an innate mastery of the geometry of a tennis court.
Sabalenka came into the final having exacted what she had no issue with describing as ‘revenge’ against Madison Keys in the semi-finals, crushing the woman who had denied her a third straight Australian Open title.
And as she charged through the opening set it seemed as though her brutal power and ever-expanding all-court skills would be too much for the teenager.
But Andreeva was sublime in the second and third sets. Sabalenka was still landing some colossal blows but the ball just kept coming back, either chipped low and short or hoisted high and deep.
As she did in Dubai, Andreeva ended her winners’ speech with a bit of self love. ‘Last but not least I would like to thank myself for fighting and always believing in me and for never quitting,’ she said. ‘I had to run like a rabbit today because Aryna was sending bullets.’
If anyone could dodge bullets it would be this extraordinary teenager. A final word on Martinez, twice a runner up as a player at Indian Wells and now a champion of sorts at last. What a job she is doing and what a wonderful relationship she and Andreeva are developing.
‘Conchita,’ said Andreeva, addressing her coach on court, ‘I know I can be tough and today was no exception. I was, as you like to say, a little brat this morning so sorry for that. Thank you for being by my side.’
