Mirra Andreeva returned to Indian Wells in emphatic style, beating Solana Sierra 6-0, 6-0 on Saturday evening.
Andreeva, the defending champion in Indian Wells, defeated Sierra in only 50 minutes and will play Katerina Siniakova in the third round.
The 18-year-old Russian won 92 per cent of her second serve points while converting six of nine break-point opportunities on her way to victory.
Andreeva, one of the brightest talents on the Tour alongside Victoria Mboko, could face Elina Svitolina in the fourth round; should she beat Siniakova.
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If the Russian were to defend her title in California, she would achieve a feat not witnessed in Indian Wells since 1991.
Mirra Andreeva could match Martina Navratilova’s Indian Wells feat
As of March 2026, only one player in WTA history has defended their title in the Indian Wells Women’s Singles event.
That individual is Martina Navratilova, who won the second and third iterations of the event in 1990 and 1991.
Navratilova, an 18-time major singles champion, beat defending champion Katerina Maleeva on her way to the 1990 final, before beating Helen Sukova in the championship match.
A year later, Navratilova defended her Indian Wells title, beating Monica Seles 6-2, 7-6 in the final.
Remarkably, no player since 1991 has managed to win back-to-back titles in California. Not even Serena Williams was able to achieve the feat.
Andreeva has the opportunity to add her name to the history books this year; and after demolishing Solana Sierra in her opening match, it seems the young Russian will be a huge threat for the Indian Wells title once again.
Andreeva has a difficult draw in Indian Wells: if she beats Siniakova on Monday, she could play Elina Svitolina and Iga Swiatek in her next two rounds.
However, who would bet against the young star upsetting the odds once again?
Mirra Andreeva’s run to the 2025 Indian Wells title…
| Round | Opponent | Opponent Seed | Result | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| R2 | Varvara Gracheva | — | Win | 7–5, 6–4 |
| R3 | Clara Tauson | (22) | Win | 6–3, 6–0 |
| R4 | Elena Rybakina | (7) | Win | 6–1, 6–2 |
| QF | Elina Svitolina | (23) | Win | 7–5, 6–3 |
| SF | Iga Świątek | (2) | Win | 7–6, 1–6, 6–3 |
| F | Aryna Sabalenka | (1) | Win | 2–6, 6–4, 6–3 |
Mirra Andreeva’s Indian Wells debut
In 2024, 16-year-old Mirra Andreeva made her Indian Wells debut, drawing wildcard Katy Volynets in the first round.
Andreeva was unable to navigate her way past the American, losing the match 5-7, 5-7.
Andreeva missed an opportunity against the American. The Russian led 5-3 in the second set and had four set points, but went on to lose the next four games, and the match.
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After winning the contest, Volynets told the Tennis Channel: “I was honestly so zoned in that I didn’t comprehend that I was facing set points against me. I found that even when I was down a break, I had good ideas. I just wasn’t executing.”
