INDIAN WELLS, United States: Russian 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva toppled world number one Aryna Sabalenka 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 on Sunday to capture her second WTA 1000 title at Indian Wells.
Andreeva, who last month become the youngest ever player to win an elite 1000 level crown with her triumph in Dubai, ended a frustrating run against the Belarusian to ensure she will rise to a career-high sixth in the world on Monday.
Andreeva shook off her first set woes and broke Sabalenka three times in the third pushing her 2025 record to 19-3 — the most wins of any woman on the WTA tour.
“I would like to thank myself for fighting to the end,” Andreeva said. “I was running like a rabbit today because Aryna she was sending bullets and it was really hard to keep up.”
In a match of swinging shifts of momentum, Andreeva was in full control by the end, giving herself a match point on Sabalenka’s serve with a defensive lob that forced a miss from the number one and clinching victory with a forehand winner.
“The match point I just really tried to just put the return in, it doesn’t matter how,” she told Tennis Channel. “Then I just saw the ball and I decided I might just go for it.
“And I did,” added Andreeva, who sank to her knees in celebration after her winner landed.
Andreeva claimed her first hard court victory over Sabalenka, who had beaten her twice already this year at Brisbane and the Australian Open.
Sabalenka had powered into the final without dropping a set but it was another disappointment for the Belarusian, who was stunned by Madison Keys in the final at Melbourne to see her bid for a third successive Australian Open title denied.
Unlike in Melbourne where she played “like a joke,” Sabalenka said, this time she let her emotions get the best of her.
“Honestly, was me against me,” she said. “I made a lot of unforced errors on important points, and I just let her play a little bit better ... I was just too pissed with myself, because I think it shouldn’t be the way I finished and I was just pissed with myself.
“I should have just thrown that aggression on that side instead of being too hard on myself.”
Andreeva had Sabalenka under pressure early, and the youngster’s frustration was evident as she was unable to convert four break points in the third game.
Sabalenka took full advantage, breaking the Russian to love for a 3-1 lead and keeping her foot firmly on the accelerator from there.
Sabalenka backed up her power from the baseline with some confident forays to the net, breaking Andreeva to take the opening set in 37 minutes.
“The anger was just boiling inside of me, because I had a lot of opportunities I didn’t convert,” said Andreeva, who wasted another three break points to open the second set.
She finally gained a foothold with a break for 2-1 — pouncing on a Sabalenka second serve to end a run of 18 missed break point chances against the Belarusian this year.
“I was so desperate to win at least one game on her serve ... every time she served I just tried to win one more game and then one more game,” Andreeva said. “Somehow I kind of crawled and came back and we got into the third set like this.”
Andreeva saved a pair of break points to push her lead to 4-2, her winners tally climbing with her confidence.
After missing one chance to take the set on Sabalenka’s serve, Andreeva sealed the set with her first love service game, complete with a pair of aces to close it.
The Russian maintained her momentum as she broke Sabalenka to love to open the third.
Sabalenka promptly broke back, but that proved just a speedbump as Andreeva broke again for 2-1 and didn’t face another break point.
Andreeva, 17, tops world No. 1 Sabalenka for Indian Wells title
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Andreeva, 17, tops world No. 1 Sabalenka for Indian Wells title
- Andreeva shook off her first set woes and broke Sabalenka three times in the third pushing her 2025 record to 19-3 — the most wins of any woman on the WTA tour
Saudi cricketers hail learning experience during this year’s ILT20 season
- The tournament, which concluded on Jan. 4 with Desert Vipers lifting the title at Dubai International Stadium, saw Saudi players compete in high-performance environments
- Trained under renowned international coaches, experience they say will be taken back home to support the continued growth of cricket in the Kingdom
LONDON: Saudi Arabian cricketers have spoken of the invaluable learning and exposure gained during International League T20 this year, after featuring across six franchises alongside some of the world’s leading players.
The tournament, which concluded on Jan. 4 with Desert Vipers lifting the title at Dubai International Stadium, saw Saudi players compete in high-performance environments and train under renowned international coaches — experience they say will be taken back home to support the continued growth of cricket in the Kingdom.
Desert Vipers’ Faisal Khan, Saudi Arabia’s leading T20I run-scorer with 1,743 runs in 61 matches, said the experience had been a major step forward in his career.
“It is a great opportunity to be part of a franchise like Desert Vipers, and I consider myself lucky to be here. I am learning a lot from the coaches and senior players, and the experience at this level is very different,” he said.
“Playing alongside top players teaches you how to take the game to the next level and how to finish matches. I would also like to thank the Saudi Arabian Cricket Federation for this opportunity, and I will continue to work hard and improve.”
Gulf Giants bowler Ishtiaq Ahmed, Saudi Arabia’s leading T20I wicket-taker with 69 wickets in 51 matches, highlighted the impact of working with elite coaches.
“This has been a very good opportunity for me and for players from the region. We are learning a great deal from the coaches and from senior players,” he said.
“Shane Bond is our bowling coach, he has been a fantastic bowler for New Zealand, and I am getting a chance to learn from him, and he helps us in whatever way he can. I also get along very well with Rahmanullah Gurbaz. It has been a good step for us and for Saudi cricket, and a very good experience overall.”
Sharjah Warriorz all-rounder Abdul Salman Khan said the learning environment had delivered immediate results.
“I was very excited from the first day we joined the camp. Experienced figures like JP Duminy (head coach) and Adil Rashid made us feel welcome and helped us learn, and we are already seeing positive changes in our game,” he said.
“Training and competing with Sikandar Raza has been especially enjoyable and challenging. Battling with him pushes you to raise your level, and it’s an experience we hope to pass on to younger players in the future.”
Dubai Capitals’ Usman Najeeb also highlighted the importance of elite mentorship, adding: “I have learned a lot during my time here. I am proud to represent Saudi Arabia here. Training with experienced players has helped me improve, and I am grateful to Munaf Patel (team mentor) for his guidance on how I need to improve.”
He said: “I still have work to do, but I will keep pushing myself and implement everything I have learned to take Saudi Arabian cricket forward.”
MI Emirates’ Zain Abidin said the exposure would benefit domestic cricket back home.
“It has been a wonderful experience, and we are learning many new things that will help us when we return to Saudi Arabia and play our domestic cricket,” he said.
“Bowling to and interacting with the big players in the nets and in the dressing room has been very valuable. We constantly ask questions and take tips from them, and it is something we look forward to sharing with other players back home to help Saudi cricket grow,” he added.
Abu Dhabi Knight Riders wicketkeeper-batter Abdul Manan described working with head coach Dwayne Bravo as his standout moment of the season.
“I am grateful to the franchise and ILT20 for this opportunity, which has been an important step in my career. Training in different match situations has helped me gain valuable experience that will benefit me going forward,” he said.
“Working closely with head coach DJ Bravo has been special. Learning from someone I used to watch on television, and receiving guidance as a wicketkeeper-batter, has been both enjoyable and extremely valuable.”
