WTA Finals 2026, Indian Wells, USA

[MargaretMcAleer]

Mirra Andreeva is potentially just 2 matches away from reaching No 1 in the WTA live rankings when the AO starts
By beating Shnaider ( Muchova has pulled out with gastro illness) and then Pegula in the SFs, she would guarantee the top spot once the AO points fall off.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Andreeva v Shnaider on court warming up ( Muchova withdrew due to gastro illness)
Andreeva won the toss and has elected to receive
Andreeva leads their H2H 2-0, Shnaider (2nd alternate, playing for house money, also they are good friends and are play doubles together

Andreeva making quick work in the 1st set 62
What I am liking about Mirra's game is she is playing with 'controlled aggression' and keeping that temper 'intact' also her serve has improved, not in the league of Rybakina, but it has improved.

Andreeva with a double break in the 2nd set, Shnaider really hasnt the weapons to upset Mirra.
DF for Shnaider
Andreeva d Shnaider 62 61

Andreeva tops her Group 3-0 going into the SFs

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Sabalenka v Svitolina next match
Sabalenka leads H2H 6-1
Both players need to win to advance to the SF
Svitolina won the toss and will serve

Saba gets the early break and consolidates, though she makes it hard for herself, she needs to stick to playing 1st strike tennis against Elena, longer the rallies go on the better for Elena, who makes you play one more ball, of late with Saba and her UFE rate that is a No No
Elena has 3 BPs, Saba is now in Train Wreck Territory, broken
2 games all. Both players held their service games
3 all
Saba had 2 BPs but could not convert
Elena leads 4-3
Saba move forward for Gods Sake, are your feet glued on something? and your serve is around 36%? good grief
Elena breaks and will serve for the 1st set 5-3
Saba's mind is Scrambled she dosent know what shot to play, no confidence in her game at all? is this a hangover from the routing she got from Andreeva in her previous match
Elena has 2 SP
Elena wins the 1st set 63, the first time she has taken a set off Saba since Rome 2024!
Saba has taken a toilet break.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Saba gets an early break and consolidates and hits her first Ace of the match
Saba 3-1 2nd set
Saba 4-1 she is actually using her Brain which has become Unscrambled, in the points now!
Saba with the double break and will serve for the 2nd set 5-1
Oh well there goes one of the breaks? negativity crept into Saba's service game, lucky she was up a double break against Elena
Saba 5-2
Saba gets her 2nd chance of serving for the 2nd set 5-3
Saba wins the 2nd set 63
Going 3

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

I have no words left for Sabalenka she is trailing Svitolina 1-4
Saba needs a good rest mentally for the 2027 she has points to defend early in the 2027 season and maybe this is a decline for Saba as she will be turning 29 in 2027, I will be attending the AO in 2027, interested to see if Saba can get her game back, though she has only won 2 tournaments this year and no GS tournaments, maybe players have worked out how to play her, though Saba and her mentality can cost her against any player.
Svitolina will serve for a place in the SF 5-1
Hurry up Svitolina and put Saba and me out of our misery
Svitolina with her 4MP Just Do It!
Svitolina d Sabalenka 63 36 61 just the 2nd time she has had a win against Sabalenka
Svitolina has now made the SF and Sabalenka is out

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Mirra Andreeva at 19 yo, has now consolidated No 2 in the rankings as Sabalenka was defeated by Svitolina and failed to make the SFs at IW
That was completely out of the equation before Roland Garros

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

In the first doubles match,
No 1 seeds Dabrowski/Stefani came back from a set and break down to defeat Ostapenko/Hsieh 26 76(2) 10-3 and win their group and will face Errani/Paolini tomorrow
The level from Ostapenko in the 2 TBs .....No Words, she may have been hanging around with Saba too much at the finals

Sad news,
Melichar-Martinez who fell last night in her doubles match and had to retire, has unfortunately confirmed a torn ACL, sad to say she will miss most of the 2027 season.

In the next doubles match
Mladenovic/Guo will qualify with a win over Mertens/Zhang

In 2nd Doubles match,
A tightly contested match with Mladenovic/Guo winning the final TB set 12-10 and they will qualify for the SFs
Mladenovic/Guo d Mertens/Zhang 67(4) 63 12-10

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Order of Play,
Saturday 14th November,
Starts at 12pm,

Singles matches SFs,
Pegula vs Andreeva First meeting
Note: Mirra Andreeva is level with Justine Hennin in 2007 for the fewest games dropped in Round Robin stage (11 games) since the round robin format was introduced at the WTA Finals in 2003

Noskova v Svitolina Noskova leads their H2H 2-1



Doubles matches SFs,
Group 1 Winners vs Group 2 R/U
Dabrowski/Stefani (1) went undefeated (3-0) in Group 1, while Sinakova/Townsend advanced at 2-1 Group 2
Dabrowski/Stefani vs Siniakova/Townsend

Doubles matches SFs,
Group 2 winners vs Group 1 R/U
Errani/Paolini swept Group 2 (3-0) while Guo/Mladenovic qualifed in 2nd place from Group 1 (2-1)
Errani/Paolini vs Guo/Mladenovic

 

[kskate2]

Saba needs to go to the Maldives for a few weeks and brush off this season. Except for the Sunshine doub, she's been horrendous. Losing matches to scrubs when in a winning position. Maybe needs to re-engage her sports shrink

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Saba needs to go to the Maldives for a few weeks and brush off this season. Except for the Sunshine doub, she's been horrendous. Losing matches to scrubs when in a winning postion

I dont know if that will help Saba quite frankly Keli, I feel we are seeing the decline of Saba, she will turn 29 next year, not a lot of players have won GS titles, after turning 29, agree after IW/Miami she has been Woeful.
Keli she has re engaged her sports shrink

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Andreeva v Pegula
First meeting
Pegula won the toss and chose to receive

 

[kskate2]

I mean she's gone back to ball bashing after she spent so much time bringing some much needed variety to her game. I don't quite understand it.

 

[kskate2]

And in the meantime, Mirra is saying thank you very much to Jess for knocking out Coco. She was 0-6 against Gauff and I'm sure she didn't want to see her in the SF.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

I mean she's gone back to ball bashing after she spent so much time bringing some much needed variety to her game. I don't quite understand it.

Agree, she has no game plan at all, she knows how to volley etc, she also got rid of Max Miryni he wasnt at IW.
Remember Saba has won GS doubles title, though that was some time ago
USO 2019 with Mertens and AO 2021 with Mertens

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Great cross court volley from Pegula low to her feet as well

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Jess breaks, she served so well in her previous match with 16 Aces, she will need to do this today, giving her free points
Also she has to attack the 2nd serve of Andreeva

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Good ball striking from Mirra with good bhand winner
Back on serve 2 all

 

[MoonSport]

Jess breaks, she served so well in her previous match with 16 Aces, she will need to do this today, giving her free points
Also she has to attack the 2nd serve of Andreeva

Yeah if Jess's serve isn't firing today it could get away from her pretty quick

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Jess had a couple of BPs and failed to convert, she dosent like the ball going over shoulder height, Mirra is sending high balls with success

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Both players re direct well
Jess finding the corners and comes into the net well
3 games all