Andreeva Reaches WTA Finals Championship Match

Andreeva, 19, defeated Pegula 6-3, 6-4 in the November 14 semifinal at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. She will face Svitolina in the November 15 final after the Ukrainian beat Linda Noskova 6-2, 6-1 in the other semifinal.

The Russian has not lost a set at the season-ending tournament. She went unbeaten in three round-robin matches and has surrendered only 18 games across four matches. The win also makes her the first teenager to reach the final since Maria Sharapova did so in 2004.

Pegula briefly moved ahead 3-1 in the second set, but Andreeva won five of the final six games. Andreeva’s defense and timely attacking shots helped her control the match in windy conditions. Pegula, who was appearing at the Finals for the fifth straight year, had reached the final in 2023 and the semifinals last year.

The match followed a hot-mic incident during practice, when Pegula was heard calling Andreeva a “diva.” Pegula later apologized, and said the two had put the episode behind them. It was their first career meeting.

Andreeva’s victory guarantees her a career-best year-end ranking of No. 2. She claimed her maiden major crown at Roland Garros in May and has also beaten top-ranked opposition during her run in Indian Wells. She holds a 2-1 career record against Svitolina, including a win over her earlier this week.