INDIAN WELLS, United States: Russian 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva toppled world number one Aryna Sabalenka 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 on Sunday to capture her second WTA 1000 title at Indian Wells.
Andreeva, who last month become the youngest ever player to win an elite 1000 level crown with her triumph in Dubai, ended a frustrating run against the Belarusian to ensure she will rise to a career-high sixth in the world on Monday.
Andreeva shook off her first set woes and broke Sabalenka three times in the third pushing her 2025 record to 19-3 — the most wins of any woman on the WTA tour.
“I would like to thank myself for fighting to the end,” Andreeva said. “I was running like a rabbit today because Aryna she was sending bullets and it was really hard to keep up.”
In a match of swinging shifts of momentum, Andreeva was in full control by the end, giving herself a match point on Sabalenka’s serve with a defensive lob that forced a miss from the number one and clinching victory with a forehand winner.
“The match point I just really tried to just put the return in, it doesn’t matter how,” she told Tennis Channel. “Then I just saw the ball and I decided I might just go for it.
“And I did,” added Andreeva, who sank to her knees in celebration after her winner landed.
Andreeva claimed her first hard court victory over Sabalenka, who had beaten her twice already this year at Brisbane and the Australian Open.
Sabalenka had powered into the final without dropping a set but it was another disappointment for the Belarusian, who was stunned by Madison Keys in the final at Melbourne to see her bid for a third successive Australian Open title denied.
Unlike in Melbourne where she played “like a joke,” Sabalenka said, this time she let her emotions get the best of her.
“Honestly, was me against me,” she said. “I made a lot of unforced errors on important points, and I just let her play a little bit better ... I was just too pissed with myself, because I think it shouldn’t be the way I finished and I was just pissed with myself.
“I should have just thrown that aggression on that side instead of being too hard on myself.”
Andreeva had Sabalenka under pressure early, and the youngster’s frustration was evident as she was unable to convert four break points in the third game.
Sabalenka took full advantage, breaking the Russian to love for a 3-1 lead and keeping her foot firmly on the accelerator from there.
Sabalenka backed up her power from the baseline with some confident forays to the net, breaking Andreeva to take the opening set in 37 minutes.
“The anger was just boiling inside of me, because I had a lot of opportunities I didn’t convert,” said Andreeva, who wasted another three break points to open the second set.
She finally gained a foothold with a break for 2-1 — pouncing on a Sabalenka second serve to end a run of 18 missed break point chances against the Belarusian this year.
“I was so desperate to win at least one game on her serve ... every time she served I just tried to win one more game and then one more game,” Andreeva said. “Somehow I kind of crawled and came back and we got into the third set like this.”
Andreeva saved a pair of break points to push her lead to 4-2, her winners tally climbing with her confidence.
After missing one chance to take the set on Sabalenka’s serve, Andreeva sealed the set with her first love service game, complete with a pair of aces to close it.
The Russian maintained her momentum as she broke Sabalenka to love to open the third.
Sabalenka promptly broke back, but that proved just a speedbump as Andreeva broke again for 2-1 and didn’t face another break point.

SINGAPORE: Sergio Garcia’s Fireballs GC extended their winning streak to three consecutive events with a dramatic comeback at LIV Golf Singapore on Sunday, while Joaquin Niemann secured his second individual title of the season with a commanding five-shot victory at Sentosa Golf Club.

The Fireballs’ triumph marks the longest team winning streak since 4Aces GC won four straight during the inaugural LIV Golf Invitational Series in 2022.

They will now look to match that record at LIV Golf Miami on April 4-6.

“We’re the only ones that can keep the streak alive,” said Fireballs captain Garcia. “Hopefully, we’ll keep it going.”

Niemann, the 26-year-old Chilean and Torque GC captain, delivered the only bogey-free round of the day, shooting a six-under 65 to finish at 17 under par. His dominant performance not only secured his second win in three events but also propelled him to the top of the Individual Champion points standings, putting him in prime position for the LIV Golf exemption into this year’s US Open.

“Today was one of those days,” Niemann said. “Everything went my way.”

The battle for the title was expected to be between Niemann and Dustin Johnson, but the much-anticipated duel never materialized. Johnson, the 4Aces GC captain, struggled with four bogeys in a two-over 73, dropping into a tie for fifth place at nine under.

Instead, defending Singapore champion Brooks Koepka emerged as Niemann’s closest competitor, matching his six-under 65 to finish solo second at 12 under.

“Not really hitting it great,” Koepka said. “But kind of tried to figure out how to finish second because first was obviously out of reach.”

The Fireballs’ victory was particularly impressive considering Garcia battled bronchitis throughout the week, managing only an even-par total. Despite his struggles, his teammates stepped up to erase an eight-shot deficit in the final round.

David Puig led the charge with a five-under 66, finishing solo fourth at 10 under, while Luis Masaveu (68) and Abraham Ancer (69) helped the team to a 10-under aggregate score on Sunday, tying for the lowest of the day.

“This week was a tough week because I’ve been sick all week and haven’t been able to help the team as much as I would have liked to,” Garcia said. “To see the performance that my teammates put in to be able to get this win was pretty impressive.”

Puig, 23, now boasts a record eight LIV Golf team victories, the most of any player, having won four times with Torque GC in 2023 before joining the Fireballs this season.

“I love team golf,” Puig said. “I think I’m a good team player. I like to be surrounded by a good group of guys, and I have them here at the Fireballs. I just have a lot of fun, and I never give up, and I just love it.”

With two wins in the first four events of 2024, Niemann has reasserted himself as the dominant force in LIV Golf, reclaiming the top spot in the season standings from Legion XIII captain Jon Rahm.

“There’s a few things that I can improve, then go down to Miami and have a chance to win,” Niemann said. “I feel like that for me is really exciting to become a better player and try to get better every day.”

With the Fireballs chasing history and Niemann eyeing further success, all eyes will now turn to LIV Golf Miami next month to see if the streak continues.