In a remarkable upset at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva defeated world number two Iga Swiatek in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3, to advance to the semifinals. This victory marks a significant milestone in Andreeva’s young career, as she becomes the youngest player to reach the semifinals in Dubai since the tournament’s inception in 2001.
Andreeva’s performance was nothing short of spectacular. Despite being nervous before the match, she managed to maintain her composure and play aggressively. “Honestly, I was really nervous before the match and we played in Cincinnati last year and it was pretty intense,” Andreeva said. “So I just told myself that I played great and I just need to continue to play aggressive and go for my shots.”
The match began with both players exchanging service breaks, but Andreeva quickly found her rhythm. She broke Swiatek’s serve twice in the first set, firing a forehand return down the line on set point to take the lead. In the second set, Andreeva found herself trailing 3-1 but managed to turn the tide after a quick chat with her coach, former Wimbledon champion Conchita Martinez. Andreeva won five consecutive games to seal the victory, with Swiatek’s return on match point going wide.
Swiatek, a five-time Grand Slam winner, struggled with her consistency throughout the match, making 33 unforced errors compared to Andreeva’s 13. “I wasn’t really sure where my ball is going to go,” Swiatek admitted after the match. “Mirra is a good player. I already could see that before when we practised and when we played in Cincinnati. It’s not like I can win against her when I play worse.”
Andreeva’s victory is a testament to her hard work and determination. She has been consulting a psychologist to help manage her emotions on the court, which has clearly paid off. “I think she (Martinez) didn’t tell me anything new. She told me everything I knew already,” Andreeva added. “She just told me to keep going because I played good and she just told me to go for my shots, that I don’t have to change anything.”
With this win, Andreeva moves into her first WTA 1000 semifinal and will face sixth seed Elena Rybakina next. As the youngest semifinalist in Dubai, Andreeva’s journey is far from over, and tennis fans around the world will be eagerly watching her next match.
In conclusion, Mirra Andreeva’s stunning victory over Iga Swiatek in Dubai highlights her potential as a rising star in the tennis world. Her ability to stay focused and play aggressively against one of the top players in the world is a testament to her talent and determination. As she continues to advance in the tournament, Andreeva’s future in tennis looks incredibly promising.
Iga Swiatek in 2025
Ranked world no.2, Swiatek played her last match on the 20th of February when she was defeated by world no.14 Mirra Andreeva 6-3 6-3 in the quarter in Dubai (draw).
At the moment, during this season the Pole has managed to achieve an overall 14-4 win-loss record. Iga Swiatek’s best accomplishment of the present year was reaching the final in Australia.
Andreeva in Dubai, ranking, and results in 2025
Ranked world no.14 (career-high), the Russian has a compiled 11-3 record in 2025. The Russian is currently having a run in Dubai where she bested the world no.44 Elina Avanesyan 6-2 6-1, the world no.39 Marketa Vondrousova 7-5 6-0, the world no.46 Peyton Stearns 6-1 6-1 and the world no.2 Iga Swiatek 6-3 6-3.
Mirra Andreeva will face the world no.7 Elena Rybakina in the semifinal. Their record is 1-0 for Rybakina.
Iga Swiatek and Mirra Andreeva squared off only twice. Their current record is 1-1.