Indian Wells, November 10, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Top seed Aryna Sabalenka and Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva began their WTA Finals campaigns with straight-sets victories, setting up an eagerly anticipated Group 2 clash at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.
Sabalenka defeated Karolina Muchova 7-6(2), 7-5 in a contest lasting one hour and 53 minutes, while 19-year-old Andreeva marked her tournament debut with a commanding 6-4, 6-0 win over Elina Svitolina in 70 minutes.
Muchova, who entered the match with a 3-2 career head-to-head advantage over Sabalenka, pushed the top seed throughout the opening set. The Czech twice moved ahead with breaks, but Sabalenka responded on both occasions before taking control of the tiebreak, winning it 7-2.
The second set also featured several breaks of serve. Sabalenka built a 5-3 lead but missed her first opportunity to close out the match at 5-4, allowing Muchova to draw level. The Belarusian recovered immediately, broke serve again and held to secure the victory.
The win extended Sabalenka’s streak of victories in WTA Finals opening matches to five. She also improved her record at the season-ending tournament to 11-0 whenever she wins the first set.
Andreeva, meanwhile, produced an impressive performance against Svitolina, saving all six break points she faced and winning the final seven games of the match. The teenager also fought off four break opportunities in the final game before sealing her maiden WTA Finals victory.
The result helped Andreeva avenge her defeat to Svitolina at this year’s Australian Open and improved her head-to-head record against the Ukrainian to 2-1.
The upcoming Sabalenka-Andreeva encounter carries additional significance, with the Russian having defeated the Belarusian in the 2025 Indian Wells final. However, Sabalenka leads their overall head-to-head record 4-2.
With both players opening their campaigns with wins, their next meeting could prove decisive in shaping the Group 2 standings.
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