DUBAI: Teenager Mirra Andreeva toppled another seed at the Dubai Championships, upsetting Elena Rybakina on Friday to become the youngest player to reach the final of a WTA 1000 tournament.
The Russian 17-year-old fought back from 1-3 down in the deciding set to beat sixth-seeded Rybakina 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 and move into the first WTA 1000 final of her career.
Andreeva is the youngest player to beat multiple Grand Slam champions at a tournament of this level, having ousted Iga Swiatek, Marketa Vondrousova, and now Rybakina, en route to the final.
She will face Clara Tauson in Saturday’s final after the Danish world number 38 moved past Karolina Muchova 6-4, 6-7 (4/7), 6-3 in a two-hour 52-minute tussle.
“Honestly, it’s crazy because at first I was not very positive before coming to Dubai. I was like, ‘Okay, well, I’m just going to play’,” said Andreeva.
“As always, when you don’t think about how you’re going to play, you just play your best tennis. In the end, it’s one of your best tournaments.”
Tauson, 22, is enjoying a banner week that saw her knock out world number one Aryna Sabalenka. She is now through to the biggest final of her career, and fifth overall.
Tauson has collected a tour-leading 15 victories so far this season, one more than Swiatek and Australian Open champion Madison Keys, who each have 14.
“Muchova is such a great player. I don’t know what to say, I don’t know how I won today. I tried to keep my cool and play some good tennis,” said Tauson, who was on the receiving end of a stunning tweener lob winner struck by Muchova midway through the deciding set.
In the first semi-final of the day, a punishing backhand return from Andreeva earned her the first break of the match in game five and despite Rybakina’s immediate response, the young Russian got back in front and closed out the opening set on the 46-minute mark.
Having already saved six match points in her win over Paula Badosa in the round of 16, Rybakina looked ready to put up a fight against Andreeva and the second set was a tight affair.
Andreeva will rise to a career-high number 11 in the world by virtue of reaching the final and could become the first 17-year-old to break the top 10 since Nicole Vaidisova achieved that feat in 2007 if she lifts the trophy on Saturday.
She made her tour debut less than two years ago but has quickly positioned herself as a star in the making with a great deal of pressure on her shoulders.
