Mirra Andreeva produced a stunning comeback to defeat world No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 6-0 and reach the semi-finals of the WTA Finals.
The 19-year-old Russian initially struggled against Sabalenka and fell 4-1 behind in the opening set. However, Andreeva quickly turned the match around, winning 11 consecutive games to take complete control.
Andreeva, who won the French Open earlier this year, mixed high defensive balls with aggressive baseline play to disrupt Sabalenka’s rhythm. She finished with 16 winners and just six unforced errors, while the Belarusian committed 23 unforced errors and failed to hit an ace.
Sabalenka also had her left knee taped, although the injury did not appear to significantly restrict her movement. The four-time Grand Slam champion struggled to maintain the level she showed early in the contest and managed to win only 10 more points after establishing a double-break advantage.
Andreeva showed composure when serving for the opening set, recovering from a 15-30 deficit by firing three consecutive aces to close it out.
“I will be honest, I feel like Aryna did not have the best day,” Andreeva said after the match. “I’m just happy. I had a goal in front of me to commit no matter what and control the things I can control.”
The victory sends Andreeva through as the winner of her group, while Sabalenka’s qualification will depend on the outcome of her final group match against Elina Svitolina on Friday.
The winner of that contest will secure the remaining semi-final spot from the group.
