INDIAN WELLS, Calif. — In a stunning turn of events at the BNP Paribas Open, 17-year-old Russian sensation Mirra Andreeva triumphed over the No. 1 seed, Aryna Sabalenka, snatching victory with a score of 2-6, 6-4, 6-3. This remarkable win makes Andreeva the youngest champion of the tournament since the legendary Serena Williams in 1999.
With her 19-3 record this season—which marks her as the most successful woman on tour—Andreeva has now secured her second Masters 1000 title of 2025. Her first came at Dubai in February, propelling her into the top 10 for the very first time. Fans can expect to see her climbing back into that elite echelon when the WTA rankings are updated on Monday.
Later in the day, the men’s final is set to feature 12th-seeded Holger Rune from Denmark going head-to-head with 13th-seeded Jack Draper from Great Britain, who stunned two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in the semifinals with a thrilling performance.
After dropping the first set against the formidable Sabalenka, Andreeva vented her frustration after a failed point by taking a ball and hurling it toward the stands, ready to fight back.
Displaying a remarkable comeback, Andreeva significantly improved in the second set, dominating with her serve and notching a 17-7 advantage in winners. It was a pivotal moment when she struck an ace to close out the set at love for the first time that day.
Just under an hour and a half into this gripping match, the players were poised for a decisive third set.
Andreeva kicked off the final set with a stunning display, breaking the powerful Sabalenka right at love. With a breathtaking passing shot, she surged to a 1-0 lead, leaving Sabalenka scrambling.
Before long, Andreeva found herself ahead 4-2, showing no signs of slowing down.
She wrapped up the match with an impressive forehand winner, dropping to her knees in a moment of pure jubilation, her hands covering her face in disbelief.
This victory marks her fifth consecutive win against a top-10 competitor, bringing her overall record against such players to 9-5 since the start of 2024. Among her notable triumphs are two victories against both Sabalenka and No. 2 Iga Swiatek, the five-time Grand Slam champion who fell to Andreeva in the Indian Wells semifinals.
Notably, Andreeva is the first player under 18 to defeat both the world No. 1 and No. 2 players at a single WTA tournament since Williams accomplished this feat against Lindsay Davenport and Martina Hingis at the 1999 U.S. Open.
In addition, she has made history as the youngest player to clinch a WTA trophy by overcoming the top-ranked woman in a final since Maria Sharapova defeated Davenport in Tokyo back in 2005.
