Is there any reason to think that this time will be different? The slower courts in Indian Wells may give the more defensive-minded Andreeva a little more time. And aside from a close first set in her opener against McCartney Kessler, Sabalenka hasn’t been challenged here.
Sabalenka, while she is stronger mentally than she once was, can still get rattled if she doesn’t start quickly, and doesn’t love facing players who hit hard enough to take control of the rallies from her. Andreeva’s slice forehand could be an effective disruptor, but upping her aggression level early in points may also be key. Either way, she sounds like she’ll be relaxed, at least at the start.
“I’m gonna try to take a revenge, because I still have nothing to lose, and I feel like the match is going to be probably entertaining. There is going to be a lot of, I think, a lot of winners, a lot of great points,” Andreeva says. “I will just go out there [like] every other match and try to play my best and to fight for every point, and then we’re gonna see who’s gonna win.”
The answer may tell us a lot about how the rest of the WTA’s 2025 will go.
Winner: Sabalenka
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