Mirra Andreeva thanks herself for dodging Aryna Sabalenka's 'bullets' after Indian Wells title win
Mirra Andreeva had a hilarious moment during her winner's speech after triumphing in the Indian Wells final over Aryna Sabalenka. The Russian won the final to bag her second successive WTA 1000 title and extend her winning streak to 12 matches.
Andreeva did not have the best of starts to the match, as the Belarusian took the lead after winning the first set 6-2. However, the Russian teenager won the second set 6-4 to force the match into a decider. Andreeva broke Sabalenka's serve thrice in the final set to register a 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 win and clinch the women's singles title at the BNP Paribas Open to add to her Dubai Tennis Championships triumph.
During her winner's speech, the Russian thanked herself and then, much to the laughter of the crowd, Aryna Sabalenka, and herself, said that she was running like a rabbit during the final to try to keep up with the Belarusian's "bullets".
“Last but not least, I’d like to thank myself. I would like to thank myself for fighting til the end and for always believing in the end. For never quitting, I tried to run like a rabbit today because Aryna, she's been sending bullets and it was really had to just keep up, so I just tried my best. That's why, I want to thank myself because I think that I played a little part also. So, thank you, everyone," she said.
Aryna Sabalenka currently leads 4-2 in the head-to-head against Mirra Andreeva
Mirra Andreeva and Aryna Sabalenka have locked horns six times so far, with the Russian having registered just her second win over the Belarusian. The first meeting between the two came in the fourth round of the Madrid Open, with Sabalenka winning 6-3, 6-1.
They locked horns in the quarterfinals of the WTA 1000 event the following and once again, the Belarusian won, this time triumphing 6-1, 6-4. Andreeva's first win over Sabalenka came in the quarterfinals of the French Open 2024, with the Russian coming back from a set down to win 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-4.
The two have locked horns thrice so far in 2025, with the World No. 1 beating the teenager in the semifinals of the Brisbane International (6-3, 6-2) and the fourth round of the Australian Open (6-1, 6-2). However, Andreeva managed to win the only final she and Sabalenka have squared off in so far.