Andreeva routs Sabalenka at WTA Finals and edges closer to No. 2 ranking
Mirra Andreeva beat Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 6-0 at the WTA Finals on Wednesday, sending the Russian into the semifinals and past her opponent in the live rankings.
Andreeva won 11 consecutive games on her way to the last four of the season-ending event. The 21-year-old's win moved her above Sabalenka in the live WTA rankings for second place. Entering the tournament, Andreeva trailed Sabalenka by 179 points and needed to outscore her by at least 180 across the event.
Andreeva is 2-0 in Group 2 and holds a 21-point lead in the race with Sabalenka, who is 1-1. Sabalenka can still advance if she beats Elina Svitolina in their final round-robin match on Friday. Svitolina earlier beat Karolina Muchova 3-6, 6-2, 6-2, which eliminated Muchova.
Andreeva, the reigning French Open champion, is making her singles debut at the elite event. Sabalenka, who has lost the world No. 1 position to Elena Rybakina this year, has no Grand Slam titles this season.