Mirra Andreeva Dominates Aryna Sabalenka to Secure WTA Finals Semifinal Spot

Mirra Andreeva, fresh from her French Open triumph, surged past Aryna Sabalenka with a commanding 6-4, 6-0 victory at the WTA Finals on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Elina Svitolina stayed alive in the competition after rallying to defeat Karolina Muchova in three sets.

Andreeva's Impressive Comeback

The 19-year-old Russian found herself down 4-1 in the opening set but then turned the match around by winning 11 consecutive games, sealing the win in just 62 minutes. This was Andreeva’s first time competing in the singles portion of this elite season-ending tournament.

“Oh my God, I’m even happier than I was after my first match,” Andreeva said. “I feel like I can play another two matches, I’m so full of energy. I’m so pumped up. I’m so happy.”

Her year has been remarkable, capturing three titles including her maiden major title at Roland Garros. Against Sabalenka, ranked second, Andreeva battled through early nerves and capitalized on her powerful groundstrokes to counter Sabalenka's strong serves.

Turning Point in the Second Set

Andreeva broke Sabalenka early in the second set to take a 3-0 lead. Although Sabalenka saved three break points at one stage, Andreeva secured another break thanks to a swinging volley winner and another mistake from Sabalenka—a long forehand.

As Sabalenka grew increasingly frustrated, she gave up match point with a backhand into the net. Andreeva closed out the match with a service winner.

This defeat marks a tough moment for the 28-year-old Sabalenka, who claimed two significant victories this season at Indian Wells and Miami but has yet to capture a Grand Slam title.

Despite the loss, Sabalenka remains in contention to advance if she defeats Svitolina in their final round-robin match on Friday.

Svitolina Stages Comeback Against Muchova

Elina Svitolina, making her sixth consecutive Finals appearance, rebounded from losing the first set to beat Karolina Muchova 3-6, 6-2, 6-2. The Ukrainian, who won this event in 2018, had not returned to the Finals since 2019.

Muchova started strongly, breaking Svitolina three times in the opening set. But Svitolina found her rhythm in the second, winning five games in a row to push the match to a deciding set.

“I was not happy with the first set,” Svitolina admitted. “I didn’t play as well. I just made some adjustments, tactical adjustments.”

“I think it helped me also to be more aggressive, because I was too passive in the first set,” she added.

With this result, Muchova's hopes of reaching the semifinals ended, while Andreeva’s win keeps her moving forward in the competition.

• WTA Finals Results - Round Robin:
• Mirra Andreeva vs Aryna Sabalenka: 6-4, 6-0
• Elina Svitolina vs Karolina Muchova: 3-6, 6-2, 6-2