INDIAN WELLS, Calif. (AP) — Russian teen star Mirra Andreeva advanced to the BNP Paribas Open final, beating defending champion Iga Swiatek 7-6 (1), 1-6, 6-3 in chilly conditions Friday night to become the tournament’s youngest finalist since 2001.
The 17-year-old Andreeva, seeded ninth, will face top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka in the final. Sabalenka routed fifth-seeded Madison Keys 6-0, 6-1 in the second semifinal.
“I don’t know why I felt so much confidence. I felt like, `I’m going to go and play the tiebreak like it’s the last tiebreak of my life,'” Andreeva said. “So I just went for all my shots. My serve was great, just felt super comfortable and super confident.”
Andreeva and Swiatek both finished the match wearing pullovers, with the temperature dipping into the 50s in the final set. It was in the mid-50s when Sabalenka finished off Keys.
Andreeva ran her tour winning streak to 11 matches and ended Swiatek’s 10-match run in the California desert The Russian won her first WTA Tour title last month in Dubai to become the youngest player to win a WTA 1000 event.
