Mirra Andreeva, 17, becomes youngest WTA 1000 champ

No. 12 seed Mirra Andreeva became the youngest WTA 1000 champion since the format began in 2009 after defeating Clara Tauson on Saturday in the final of the Dubai Tennis Championships.

Andreeva, who is 17 years and 299 days old, recorded six aces to post a 7-6 (1), 6-1 win over the Denmark native in one hour, 46 minutes.

"I've been dreaming of having a press conference with a trophy by my side, so finally it happened," Andreeva smiled in her post-matchpress conference. "But I saw winners drinking a glass of champagne. It's a pity that I'm still 17."

The Russian is the third teenager to reach a WTA 1000 final since the format was adopted, joining 2021 Rome winner Iga Swiatek and 2023 Cincinnati champion Coco Gauff.

Andreeva also is expected to become the first 17-year-old ranked in the Top 10 since Czech Nicole Vaidisova in 2007 when the new ratings come out on Monday -- and she isn't content.

"Now when you enter Top 10 and the higher your ranking is, the slower and longer it's going to take for you to be even higher because the difference in the points is very, very short, very small," Andreeva said.

"I think it's going to be hard to enter Top 5. This is the exact goal that I'm going to set for myself, to be Top 5 by the end of the year. I'm very curious if I will be able to achieve it."

After toppling three Grand Slam winners, including second-seeded Iga Swiatek, Andreeva was able to thwart a dream run by Tauson.

Tauson, who knocked off World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the Round of 16, was seeking her fourth career WTA title and her first above the WTA 250 level. The 22-year-old Dane won the ASB Classic in Auckland, New Zealand, last month.

Andreeva bounced back from an early 2-0 deficit to put herself in position to serve for the first set before Tauson pulled even. Andreeva rebounded and cruised through the tiebreaker to claim the first set in 60 minutes.

The Russian made quicker work of Tauson in the second, breaking her foe to seize a 5-1 lead before serving out the match.

--Field Level Media