A tournament that started with a controversy ended with a coronation.
Mirra Andreeva, labeled a diva by Jessica Pegula during a controversial hot mic conversation before the tournament, proved worthy of a few other words that start with the letter D during her incredible run to the title. How about determined, or downright destructive?
The Russian teen completed her title run on Sunday, defeating Elina Svitolina 7-5, 6-3 to become the youngest WTA Finals champion in 22 years.
“You’ve had an amazing season,” Andreeva told Svitolina. “I know that it’s tough to lose in the final, but you had such an amazing season. You have a young daughter, you’re an amazing mom. To come back and do this, it’s super hard. I wouldn’t know how hard it is to do that.”
After her dominant display, Andreeva also took a page from her own playbook by thanking herself.
“I want to thank myself for always doing the hard work, for never quitting, for always believing in myself, for not taking the days off, for working every day, and for committing to what I have to do,” she said. “And just thanks to myself, without any reason.”
No Revenge for Svitolina
Andreeva and Svitolina’s second battle of the week at the WTA Finals proved to be a far more competitive affair than the first (a 6-4, 6-0 drubbing). The 12-year, 229-day age gap between the two was the largest between finalists at the WTA Finals since 1991, but the space between them was much tighter as the two traded momentum swings in their fourth career meeting.
In the end, it was Andreeva who stood tall, the surging 19-year-old taking out 32-year-old Svitolina to become the third teenager to win the event on her debut, and the youngest player to win the WTA Finals since Maria Sharapova in 2004.
“Of course, it feels amazing to be part of this amazing group of people,” Andreeva said. “I’m super privileged to put my name in that group, and I’m super thankful to my team for helping me work every day, for pushing me to my limits, for forcing me to do some stuff when I don’t want to do anything, and trying to tell me, ‘Mirra, really, like, that’s what you have to do.’”
She knew what to do on Sunday, staying calm whenever Svitolina asserted herself with her never-say-die tennis. In total, Andreeva hit nearly twice as many winners as her opponent.
Andreeva, who will finish the season at No. 2 in the WTA rankings, did not drop a set through five matches and dropped just 26 games. The Russian joins a short, iconic list of players who won their first Grand Slam and first WTA Finals in the same year: Barty (2019), Kvitova (2011), Sharapova (2004), Seles (1990), Graf (1987) and Navratilova (1978).
Andreeva had the early edge, but her first chance at serving for the set didn’t go as planned, as Svitolina scored her second break of the opening set to level at 5-5. The Russian didn’t let it bother her and engineered her third break of the set – and another chance to serve for it – by playing a crafty game to break Svitolina for 6-5.
She made good on the opportunity, securing the 55-minute opening set when a Svitolina backhand down the line flew wide of the sideline.
In a game that could serve as a microcosm of Svitolina’s entire gritty career, the Ukrainian waited out Andreeva and converted her seventh break point to break back for 1-1 in set two.
Another extended game, another chance for both to prove their level of commitment to victory, came with Svitolina serving at 2-4. Again, the Ukrainian showed her teeth, saving four break points to wiggle out of trouble and stay within a break at 3-4.
The longest game of the tournament, lasting over ten minutes, went to Svitolina after six deuces when Andreeva lost her patience and rocketed a forehand several feet wide. It would prove to be Svitolina’s last game of the match, as Andreeva held and then broke to close out the title.
Andreeva is now less than 300 points behind Elena Rybakina for No.1 in the WTA rankings – all eyes will be watching to see if she can parlay her tremendous momentum as 2027 commences.
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