Mirra Andreeva hilariously credits herself after overcoming Aryna Sabalenka in the Indian Wells final

Mirra Andreeva is set to reach a career high of World No.6 despite starting the tournament as World No.11.

Mirra Andreeva hilariously credits herself after overcoming Aryna Sabalenka in the Indian Wells final

Mirra Andreeva (via X)

Mirra Andreeva made history at Indian Wells by winning her first Masters 1000 title at just 17 years old. While she had many people to thank, she notably gave credit to herself for this achievement.

After defeating Aryna Sabalenka in the final on Sunday, March 17, Andreeva praised herself for showing the fighting spirit needed to compete with the World No. 1. With this victory, she will now rise to World No. 6.

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Last but not least, I’d like to thank myself. For fighting till the end and always believing in me. For never quitting. I tried to run like a rabbit today because Aryna was sending bullets.

Mirra Andreeva said in her post-match interview

The crowd responded positively to her comments, appreciating her confidence and personality. Even before this title win, Andreeva was compared to legends like Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova, and those comparisons are likely to grow even more now.

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Andreeva followed a similar path to Madison Keys at the Australian Open by defeating both Iga Swiatek and Sabalenka to claim the title. These two victories will stand out as key moments of the season.

Aryna Sabalenka makes cheeky gesture on Mirra Andreeva’s comments

World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka has never hesitated to show her personality after a loss. Following her Indian Wells final defeat against Mirra Andreeva, she once again caught everyone’s attention during the post-match ceremony.

Mirra Andreeva and Aryna Sabalenka (via X)
Mirra Andreeva and Aryna Sabalenka (via X)

Congrats to Aryna and your team. I think it’s been an amazing two weeks for you. You’ve been playing amazing tennis.

Mirra Andreeva said in her post-match interview

When Andreeva made her comments, Sabalenka responded with playful gestures, seemingly downplaying her own performance at Indian Wells. However, when Andreeva turned back toward her, she quickly changed her reaction and bowed, acknowledging the Russian’s words.

Sabalenka has not won a title in 2025 since her victory at the Brisbane International. However, her consistency has helped her maintain the World No. 1 ranking.

Mirra Andreeva makes history at Indian Wells

Russian rising star Mirra Andreeva won her second consecutive WTA 1000 title at Indian Wells. At just 17 years old, she became the third-youngest woman to win the tournament, following Martina Hingis in 1998 and Serena Williams in 1999.

Mirra Andreeva
Mirra Andreeva (Image via X)

Her victory was even more special because she defeated both the No. 2 and No. 1 players in the world. She beat Iga Swiatek in the semifinals and Aryna Sabalenka in the final. This makes her the second-youngest player in WTA history to achieve this feat in one tournament. The only younger player to do it was Tracy Austin, who managed it twice at age 16 in 1979.

Andreeva had to fight hard for both wins. She won a tight first set against Swiatek but struggled in the second before bouncing back to take the match. Against Sabalenka, she lost the first set but recovered to win 2-6, 6-4, 6-3. This was her 19th win of the season, making her the leader in match wins on the WTA tour.

Now, she heads to Miami, where she has a chance to make more history. If she wins the title, she will become the youngest player ever to complete the “Sunshine Double,” winning both Indian Wells and Miami in the same year. No teenager has ever done this before, and she is still only 17.