LOS ANGELES: Bintang muda Russia, Mirra Andreeva menutup musim gemilangnya dengan menjulang gelaran Final WTA selepas menewaskan Elina Svitolina dalam aksi final di Indian Wells, awal pagi tadi.
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Pemain berusia 19 tahun itu mempamerkan aksi bertenaga sebelum mencatat kemenangan straight set 7-5, 6-3 dalam perlawanan sengit yang berlangsung selama satu jam 48 minit.
Kejayaan itu cukup istimewa buat juara bertahan Terbuka Perancis berkenaan apabila dia menamatkan kejohanan tanpa kehilangan sebarang set.
Andreeva turut melakar sejarah sebagai pemain remaja ketiga selepas Chris Evert dan Maria Sharapova yang berjaya memenangi gelaran Final WTA pada penampilan sulung.
“Perasaan ini sangat luar biasa. Saya berasa amat bertuah kerana nama saya kini sebaris dengan kelompok pemain itu,” katanya.
Dalam ucapan selepas kemenangan, Andreeva turut berterima kasih kepada keluarga, rakan serta pasukan sokongannya sebelum secara berseloroh memberikan penghargaan kepada dirinya sendiri atas kejayaan berkenaan.
“Saya mahu berterima kasih kepada diri sendiri kerana sentiasa bekerja keras, tidak pernah berputus asa, terus mempercayai kemampuan diri, tidak mengambil cuti dan komited melakukan apa yang perlu setiap hari,” katanya.
Pertarungan sengit itu menyaksikan Andreeva memulakan set pertama dengan memecahkan servis lawan untuk mendahului 2-0, namun pemain veteran Ukraine itu bangkit menyamakan kedudukan 2-2 menerusi pukulan voli bersudut menarik.
Andreeva kembali menguasai permainan untuk mendahului 5-3, tetapi gagal memanfaatkan peluang ketika melakukan servis bagi menamatkan set apabila dua kesilapan servis berganda membolehkan Svitolina mengikat kedudukan 5-5.
Bagaimanapun, pemain Russia itu segera bangkit memecahkan servis Svitolina sekali lagi sebelum mengesahkan kemenangan set pertama 7-5.
Set kedua berlangsung dengan corak hampir sama apabila kedua-dua pemain saling memberikan tekanan menerusi beberapa rali panjang, namun Andreeva berjaya mendahului 3-2 selepas memecahkan servis lawan sebelum melebarkan jurang kepada 4-2.
Svitolina cuba mengheret perlawanan lebih jauh, namun Andreeva memperoleh tiga mata penamat selepas bola terkena jaring dan melantun ke kawasan lawan ketika kedudukan 5-3.
Svitolina berjaya menyelamatkan satu mata penamat, tetapi gagal menyempurnakan pukulan smash ketika berpeluang memanjangkan permainan, sekali gus memberikan kemenangan kepada Andreeva.
Sementara itu, Svitolina mengakui tidak menjangkakan mampu mara ke final selepas tewas 4-6, 0-6 kepada Andreeva dalam aksi pembukaan peringkat kumpulan.
“Selepas perlawanan pertama, saya tidak menjangkakan akan bermain di final. Malangnya, keputusan tidak memihak kepada saya, tetapi saya sudah memberikan segala-galanya,” katanya.
Andreeva defeats Svitolina to win WTA Finals
Los Angeles, United States, Nov 15, 2026 (AFP) –
Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva battled past Elina Svitolina in straight sets to win the season-ending WTA Finals crown on Sunday.
Andreeva powered to a 7-5, 6-3 victory in a hard-fought duel in Indian Wells to complete a superb week in California.
Reigning French Open champion Andreeva, 19, clinched the title without dropping a set in the tournament.
She is only the third teenager after Chris Evert and Maria Sharapova to win the WTA Finals on their debut.
“It feels amazing, of course I’m super-privileged to put my name in that group,” said Andreeva.
The teenager thanked friends, family and support staff in a victory speech, before light-heartedly thanking herself for her success.
“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,” said Andreeva, wearing a track-suit top with the slogan “I want to thank myself.”
A grueling 1hr 48min duel saw Andreeva secure a break in the opening game of the first set before holding for a 2-0 lead.
Ukrainian veteran Svitolina broke back in the fourth game, conjuring a sublime angled volley to level at 2-2.
Svitolina was soon back under pressure though, conceding another break to go 4-3 down before Andreeva held for a 5-3 lead.
There was more drama to follow when Andreeva served for the first set at 5-4 up.
She opened with back-to-back double faults to go 0-30 down, and then yanked a wild forehand wide to give Svitolina two break points at 15-40.
A long forehand gave Svitolina the break to knot it at 5-5 but Andreeva hit back immediately with her third break of serve to regain the advantage at 6-5.
The Russian made no mistake when serving for the set for a second time, holding comfortably to go 1-0 up.
The second set followed a familiar pattern, with both players trading some brutal groundstrokes in a series of long rallies.
Andreeva broke to take the lead at 1-0 but Svitolina responded in a marathon second game, breaking back after converting her seventh break point to level at 1-1.
Andreeva edged back in front with a break to go 3-2 up and then held for a 4-2 lead.
The next two games went with serve to leave Svitolina serving to stay in the match at 5-3 down.
A fortunate net cord left Andreeva with three match points at 0-40.
Svitolina saved the first and looked poised to save another, only to hit a wide open overhead smash into the net to give Andreeva the win.
Svitolina, who had been thumped 6-4, 6-0 by Andreeva in the opening round-robin game of the tournament, took positives from her performance.
“After the first match I was not expecting to play in the final,” Svitolina said. “Unfortunately it didn’t go my way but I gave it my all.”
rcw/amz
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
