Mirra Andreeva rounded off a flawless group stage run at the WTA Finals with another straight-sets victory on Friday.
After comfortably beating Elina Svitolina and Aryna Sabalenka, Andreeva dominated Karolina Muchova’s alternate, Diana Shnaider, 6-2, 6-1. The Russian teenager will now take on Jessica Pegula in the semifinals of the prestigious year-end tournament, with the winner set to face either Linda Noskova or Svitolina in the championship match.
Mirra Andreeva ties Justine Henin’s all-time WTA Finals record
Across her three group stage matches with Svitolina, Sabalenka and Shnaider, Andreeva conceded just 11 games. According to Opta Ace, she has now tied Justine Henin’s record for the fewest games dropped in the round-robin of the WTA Finals since the format’s introduction in 2003.
Henin set the record at the 2007 WTA Finals, where she conceded just 11 games across matches against Jelena Jankovic, Marion Bartoli and Anna Chakvetadze. Bartoli, who came in as an alternate for Serena Williams that year, was handed a 6-0, 6-0 defeat by Henin, who went on to win the tournament.
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Andreeva is competing in her first-ever WTA Finals. She was an alternate last year but did not play. She has never faced her next opponent, Pegula, at a tour-level event before. While Andreeva has enjoyed a dominant WTA Finals thus far, Pegula has been tested by Coco Gauff and Noskova in her group stage matches.
Andreeva is bidding to become the first Russian winner of the WTA Finals. A triumph in Indian Wells would mark her seventh career title and the fourth of her season. This year, Andreeva has clinched tour-level crowns in Adelaide, Linz and Roland Garros.
Marion Bartoli praises Mirra Andreeva after her win
Speaking on Sky Sports after Andreeva’s win, former Wimbledon champion Bartoli said: “I mean, honestly, I was watching this and I was like, she just generally can’t miss a ball. She could do any shot she wanted. She has some amazing touch at the net as well.
“I think it has really been the work Conchita has implemented after those years with Mirra because she didn’t come out playing those great touch volleys, and all those shots she has added to her game. But today, when she played like this, you feel she’s unstoppable.
“She got on top of the baseline; she controlled the rally, and she played with that spin and variety with her forehand side. That ball jumps so high in these conditions on this court. The backhand is just absolutely a brilliant shot. She can do anything she wants from that side.”
If one of Andreeva, Pegula or Noskova wins the title, there will be a different WTA Finals winner for the 11th straight year. Svitolina would be the only repeat champion, with the Ukrainian having won the tournament back in 2018.
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