The youngest player in the field is playing like the best one. On Wednesday, the Russian teenager overwhelmed a former world No. 1 to top her group and secure a place in the semifinals.
Mirra Andreeva beat Aryna Sabalenka 6 to 4, 6 to 0 on Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2026, to win her group at the WTA Finals at Indian Wells. The win secured her place in the semifinals.
How did Mirra Andreeva beat Sabalenka?
Mirra Andreeva, the third seed, trailed 4 to 1 in the first set before winning 20 of the next 23 points. She never looked back, finishing the match in 62 minutes. The turnaround stunned the crowd and left Sabalenka searching for answers.
Sabalenka, playing with tape above her right knee, suddenly struggled to win points after a strong start. It was not clear whether the knee affected her play.
Mirra Andreeva said she felt like she could play two more matches and was full of energy. She gave her coach, Conchita Martinez, 82% of the credit for a pep talk after warmups that she said fired her up. Martinez, a former Wimbledon champion, has helped guide Andreeva’s rise.
How dominant has Mirra Andreeva been?
Andreeva, 19, has lost only eight games in her two group matches. She also beat Elina Svitolina 6 to 4, 6 to 0 in her opener. Both of her wins have come by the exact same score.
Mirra Andreeva won her first Grand Slam title at the French Open in June. She also beat Sabalenka in the 2025 final of the BNP Paribas Open, which is played at the same Indian Wells venue. Her title in Paris made her one of the youngest major champions in recent years.
Before the tournament, Jessica Pegula was caught on a live microphone calling Andreeva a diva and making other comments. Pegula has since apologized. Andreeva has let her tennis do the talking since then.
What does the loss mean for Sabalenka?
Sabalenka, the second seed, will face Svitolina on Friday with the final semifinal spot from Group 2 on the line. She is trying to reach the semifinals of the season finale for the fifth straight year. The winner will advance, and the loser will be eliminated.
She lost the No. 1 ranking to Elena Rybakina after holding it for 99 straight weeks, when Rybakina won the U.S. Open. Rybakina later withdrew from the WTA Finals because of a viral illness.
Sabalenka beat Karolina Muchova in straight sets in her first match. That win showed she remains a threat despite the loss to Andreeva.
How did Svitolina stay alive?
Svitolina, a former WTA Finals champion and the only mother in the field, rebounded from her loss to Andreeva by beating Muchova 3 to 6, 6 to 2, 6 to 2. She dropped the first set before taking control.
It was her first appearance at the event since 2019. She won the WTA Finals title in 2018. The event is being held in the California desert after moving from Saudi Arabia.
What is next for Mirra Andreeva?
Andreeva will play in the semifinals, joining Linda Noskova, who clinched a spot from Group 1. The other Group 1 spot will be decided between Coco Gauff and Pegula. Gauff plays Marta Kostyuk on Thursday.
The tournament runs through Nov. 15. The final is scheduled for Sunday.
At 19, Mirra Andreeva is showing she can beat the very best on the biggest stages, and she will enter the semifinals as one of the favorites. Her confidence and composure have made her one of the toughest players to beat this week.
