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Andreeva defeats Rybakina in Dubai to become youngest WTA 1000 finalist / Photo: © AFP
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Andreeva defeats Rybakina in Dubai to become youngest WTA 1000 finalist
Teenager Mirra Andreeva toppled another seed at the Dubai Championships, upsetting Elena Rybakina on Friday to become the youngest player to reach the final of a WTA 1000 tournament.
The Russian 17-year-old fought back from 1-3 down in the deciding set to beat seventh-seeded Rybakina 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 and move into the first WTA 1000 final of her career.
Andreeva is the youngest player to beat multiple Grand Slam champions at a tournament of this level having ousted Iga Swiatek, Marketa Vondrousova, and now Rybakina, en route to the final.
The players had met once before, in Beijing in 2023, when Rybakina won in three sets.
"Last time we played it was a really tough match and I had a lot of opportunities and she as a really experienced player just didn't give me a chance and went for her shots and killed me in the end," said Andreeva.
"I knew she was going to hit hard and hit big serves. I just tried to accept when things didn't go my way. I fought for every point and kept believing and in the end it went my way."
Andreeva will face either Clara Tauson or Karolina Muchova in Saturday's championship match.
A punishing backhand return from Andreeva earned her the first break of the match in game five and despite Rybakina's immediate response, the young Russian got back in front and closed out the opening set on the 46-minute mark.
Having already saved six match points in her win over Paula Badosa in the round of 16, Rybakina looked ready to put up a fight against Andreeva and the second set was a tight affair.
The pair remained neck and neck until Rybakina found an opening when Andreeva double-faulted to face two set points at 4-5.
Andreeva bounced the ball off the ground in frustration and received a code violation warning for ball abuse.
Moments later, Rybakina took the match into a decider on a long defensive forehand from her opponent, as Andreeva dropped her first set of the tournament.
Rybakina made the first move in the third, breaking for a 3-1 advantage but Andreeva reacted and swept the next five games to wrap up the win in two hours and 15 minutes.
Andreeva will rise to a career-high number 11 in the world by virtue of reaching the final and could become the first 17-year-old to break the top 10 since Nicole Vaidisova achieved that feat in 2007 if she lifts the trophy on Saturday.
Q.Taylor--SFF
