Aryna Sabalenka and Mirra Andreeva will be facing each other for the sixth time in their careers when they clash in the final of the BNP Paribas Open on Sunday afternoon.
Sabalenka leads the head-to-head series 4-1 and has dominated twice in a row since getting upset by Andreeva in the 2024 French Open quarterfinals. They squared off twice in January, when the world No. 1 cruised 6-3, 6-2 at the Brisbane International and 6-1, 6-2 at the Australian Open.
“The matches that we played this year didn’t really go my way,” Andreeva reflected. “Yeah, I can say she almost killed me — especially in Melbourne. 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.”
The 17-year-old definitely has a realistic shot at taking her revenge. She is on an 11-match winning streak that features a Premier 1000 title in Dubai and a pair of victories over Iga Swiatek–including via a 7-6 (1), 1-6, 6-3 decision in the Indian Wells semifinals on Friday.
Speaking of revenge, Sabalenka got some in Friday’s second semifinal. The 26-year-old, who lost to Madison Keys in the recent Aussie Open final, destroyed the American 6-0, 6-1.
“I needed this revenge badly, so I was really focused,” Sabalenka said. “It’s not like I was really desperate. I was more…I don’t know how to call it. I was hungry and, as I said before, that Australian Open match [made me] really heartbroken. I really needed some time to recover after that. And if I would lose today again, it would get in my head. And I didn’t want that to happen. I was really focused, so I was just really hungry to get this win against Madison.”
There was no physical toll whatsoever in a match that lasted all of 51 minutes, but Sabalenka clearly put a lot into it from a mental perspective. Resetting for the final may not be so simple. With Andreeva absolutely on fire, an upset could be in the cards.
Pick: Andreeva in 3
who ya got?
Andreeva was amazing against Swiantek last night….esp in those first and 3rd sets…..but The Final is different….Sabalenka has been there,,,she’ll win again, in 2.
sabelenka in 2….she’s been there before!