By Rory Carroll
INDIAN WELLS, California (Reuters) – Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva beat defending champion Iga Swiatek 7-6(1) 1-6 6-3 on Friday to reach the Indian Wells final for the first time as she sets her sights on back-to-back WTA 1000 titles.
After a tight first set, the 17-year-old Andreeva was flawless in the tiebreak, leaning over and letting out a roar when she enticed a forehand error from Swiatek on set point.
The Polish second seed stormed back in the second set, breaking in the first game and leveling the contest when Andreeva’s backhand went wide.
Andreeva, who was studying handwritten notes during the changeovers, grabbed the momentum back by breaking to open the third set as temperatures in the California desert plummeted and the wind picked up.
She ripped a forehand winner to go up 3-1 as the frustration began to take build for Swiatek, who dumped a backhand into the net on match point.
“After she literally killed me in the second set I thought, okay, I’ll just try to fight,” Adreeva said on court.
“There is not much I could do about it, she was playing amazing. I just decided to fight for every point.
“It doesn’t matter how I put the ball in but I have to put it in. In the end it wasn’t too bad.”
The ninth seed is coached by former Wimbledon champion Conchita Martinez, who reached the Indian Wells finals twice during her playing days.
“I know that my coach lost in the finals so I’m going to try to be better than her,” said Andreeva with a laugh.
The loss ends five-time major champion Swiatek’s bid to become the first woman to win the tournament in the Southern California desert three times.
Andreeva will look to claim her second straight WTA 1000 title after her triumph in Dubai last month when she faces either Aryna Sabalenka or Madison Keys in the final on Sunday.
(Reporting by Rory Carroll in Indian Wells; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
