The match began with Sabalenka establishing a 4-1 lead in the opening set, appearing in control as she looked to build on her opening win against Karolina Muchova. However, the momentum shifted dramatically as Andreeva found her rhythm, winning 20 of the next 23 points to flip the script. From that point forward, the French Open champion remained untouchable, reeling off 11 consecutive games to clinch the match and top her round-robin group.
A Commanding Performance and Semifinal Qualification
Reflecting on her performance, Andreeva expressed high levels of energy, noting that she felt capable of playing additional matches immediately following the win. She credited her coach, Conchita Martinez, for a pivotal pep talk following the warm-up, jokingly assigning her mentor 82 percent of the credit for the result. This victory marks a continuation of a strong tournament for the teenager, who has conceded only eight games across her first two round-robin appearances.
For Sabalenka, the loss complicates her path to the knockout stages. Despite the defeat, the world No. 2 remains in contention for a fifth consecutive WTA Finals semifinal appearance. She is now set for a high-stakes showdown on Friday against Elina Svitolina, who kept her own hopes alive earlier in the day. Svitolina, a former tournament champion, recovered from a set down to defeat Muchova 3-6, 6-2, 6-2, setting up a winner-takes-all scenario for the second semifinal spot in the group.
The tournament context remains intense as the field narrows. Andreeva, who previously defeated Sabalenka to claim the 2025 BNP Paribas Open title at the same venue, has now firmly established herself as a primary contender. Meanwhile, Sabalenka—who recently saw her 99-week reign as world No. 1 end following Elena Rybakina’s US Open success—must regroup quickly to keep her season alive against Svitolina.
