In Indian Wells, California, 17-year-old Russian rising star Mirra Andreeva secured her spot in the BNP Paribas Open final by defeating defending champion Iga Swiatek in a thrilling match under chilly conditions on Friday night. Andreeva, seeded ninth, will now go up against top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka in the final showdown. Sabalenka dominated her semifinal match against fifth-seeded Madison Keys to secure her spot in the final as well.
Both Andreeva and Swiatek had to wear pullovers during the match as the temperature dropped into the 50s in the final set. Andreeva’s victory extended her winning streak to 11 matches and put an end to Swiatek’s 10-match run in the California desert. The young Russian made history by becoming the youngest player to win a WTA 1000 event after claiming her first WTA Tour title in Dubai last month.
In the men’s semifinals on Saturday, two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz will take on 13th-seeded Jack Draper, while fifth-seeded Daniil Medvedev will face No. 12 Holger Rune.
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