Mirra Andreeva beats Elina Svitolina to win WTA Finals, VAVEL reports

Mirra Andreeva won the WTA Finals on her debut, defeating Elina Svitolina in straight sets Sunday at Indian Wells, California, according to an unconfirmed report by sports site VAVEL.

The result will not affect Andreeva's ranking rise. The 19-year-old Russian will reach No. 2 for the first time Monday, while Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus will drop to No. 3, The Guardian reported.

Ukrainian Svitolina served in the opening game as an emergency vehicle siren sounded in the distance. Andreeva converted her fourth break point when Svitolina hit into the net, then held her own first service game with an ace. Svitolina later leveled the first set, ending a long rally with a cross-court winner at the net.

Andreeva had reached the final without losing a set and had given up 18 games across her four preceding matches. Her tournament began Monday with a 6-4, 6-0 win over Svitolina in their first group match.

She also defeated top seed Sabalenka 6-4, 6-0, taking 11 consecutive games after trailing 1-4. On Saturday, Andreeva beat fifth seed Jessica Pegula 6-3, 6-4 in the semifinal.

The Guardian reported that Pegula had previously been caught on a hot mic calling Andreeva a diva who "needs to be humbled," and that she later apologized for the remarks.

Andreeva arrived at the WTA Finals six months after winning her first Grand Slam title at Roland Garros. A year earlier, she had missed qualification by six points after opting not to play in the final tournament week before the event.

Svitolina, the 2018 champion, was bidding for a second WTA Finals title. She reached the final by defeating Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova 6-2, 6-1 on Saturday, following a 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 victory over Sabalenka on Friday.

Video circulating on social media appeared to show Sabalenka swearing during the match, and some users interpreted a between-points comment as an offensive insult against Svitolina, The Associated Press and The Guardian reported. Sabalenka declined to speak to the media after the loss.

"My comment was not directed at Elina. I was frustrated with a small group of spectators who were aggressively cheering my mistakes, and I reacted emotionally in the moment," Sabalenka wrote on Instagram on Saturday. The post did not specify what she had said.

"I should have handled my frustration differently and I apologize to anyone I offended," Sabalenka wrote, adding that Svitolina had played a great match.

Asked about the post, Svitolina said many Ukrainian supporters carrying flags were at the event and wanted her to win that match. "I just hope the matches between us are respected," she said. "Sometimes in some matches there are not great comments towards me in regards of the war."

Svitolina and other Ukrainian players have declined to shake hands with players from Russia and Belarus since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, in keeping with Ukrainian Tennis Federation policy.

The doubles final was scheduled to follow the singles match, with Taylor Townsend of the United States and Katerina Siniakova of Czechia facing Italy's Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini.