Andreeva keeps perfect WTA Finals run alive, earns title shot against Svitolina

详细摘要

French Open winner Mirra Andreeva beat Jessica Pegula 6-3, 6-4 yesterday to book a WTA Finals title showdown with former champion Elina Svitolina ...

LOS ANGELES, Nov 15 — French Open winner Mirra Andreeva beat Jessica Pegula 6-3, 6-4 yesterday to book a WTA Finals title showdown with former champion Elina Svitolina in Indian Wells, California.

Ukraine’s Svitolina, who won the WTA Finals in 2018, fell to Ashleigh Barty in the final in the following year but hadn’t been back since, powered past Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova 6-2, 6-1 to give herself a shot at another triumph in the elite season-ending event.

“It’s really magical to be back in the finals,” Svitolina said. “Just very special for me to have this opportunity (Sunday), to have another battle another challenge.”

The 32-year-old, back in the top 10 this year for the first time since before her daughter, Skai, was born in 2022, will face a rising star in 19-year-old Andreeva.

The Russian teen won her maiden major at Roland Garros this year and with her victory over Pegula is assured of rising from third to second in the world rankings.

Andreeva remained unbeaten in her WTA Finals singles debut, having posted round robin victories over sixth-ranked Svitolina, world number two Aryna Sabalenka and Diana Shnaider.

She’s the youngest player to make the final since a 17-year-old Maria Sharapova in 2004 and joined Serena Williams and Chris Evert as the only players to win their first four matches in the event in straight sets.

“I think I can be very proud of myself,” she told Tennis Channel. “I’m very happy with how I’m playing. I’m very happy also with how I deal with the pressure. I knew this match had a lot on the line.”

For Pegula it was a match of missed chances, the fifth-ranked American unable to build on early breaks in both sets.

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