At just 17 years and 299 days old, Mirra Andreeva has etched her name in tennis history by becoming the youngest-ever winner of a WTA 1000 tournament, claiming the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships title. The Russian teenager defeated Denmark’s Clara Tauson 7-6(1), 6-1 in the final, capping off a remarkable week that saw her beat multiple top-ranked players.
With this victory, Andreeva enters the WTA top 10 for the first time, becoming the youngest player to achieve this milestone since Nicole Vaidisova in 2007.
How Andreeva Dominated in Dubai
Andreeva’s run to the title was anything but easy, as she took down some of the biggest names in the sport:
✅ Quarterfinals: Defeated Iga Świątek (5-time Grand Slam champion)
✅ Semifinals: Defeated Elena Rybakina (World No. 7)
✅ Finals: Defeated Clara Tauson (World No. 36)
In the final, Andreeva showed her mental toughness early, overcoming two consecutive double faults in her first service game. After going down a break, she fought back to win the set in a tiebreak. The second set was one-sided, with Andreeva dominating every rally and sealing victory in just one hour and 46 minutes.
Andreeva fell to her knees in celebration, later joking about her self-belief:
“Last but not least, I would like to thank me. I know what I have been dealing with, and I just want to thank me for always believing in me.”
Breaking Records and Entering the Top 10
With this victory, Andreeva jumps from World No. 14 to No. 9, making her:
- The youngest top-10 player since Nicole Vaidisova (2007)
- The first teenager in the top 10 since Coco Gauff (2023)
- Russia’s youngest-ever WTA 1000 champion
Andreeva has already surpassed her pre-season goal of reaching the top 10 and now sets her sights even higher:
“I wanted to be in the top 10 by the end of the year. Now I want to be in the top 5.”
Tauson’s Journey to the Final
Though she lost, Clara Tauson also had an incredible tournament. The 22-year-old Dane secured wins over World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and multiple top-30 players before reaching her first-ever WTA 1000 final.
Despite her strong start against Andreeva, she struggled to maintain momentum in the second set. Tauson will take plenty of positives from this week as she aims to break into the WTA top 20.
What’s Next for Andreeva?
Still too young to have her own bank account, Andreeva can’t even directly receive her $597,000 prize money. When asked about it, she laughed:
“All questions to my dad. It all goes on his credit card because I don’t have my own yet. I hope he leaves me some to spend on chips and Coke!”
With the clay court season approaching, Andreeva’s next major target is Roland Garros (French Open 2025), where she hopes to make a deep run.
Final Thoughts
Mirra Andreeva’s historic victory in Dubai proves that she is not just a rising star—she has arrived. With her confidence, composure, and relentless energy, the 17-year-old could be a future Grand Slam champion sooner rather than later.
