Simply Fearless! The teenage sensation, Mirra Andreeva has now become the youngest woman to beat multiple Grand Slam Champions in a WTA 1000 event. Andreeva (17) has made her way into the first WTA 1000 SF of her career. She’ll next face another Top 10 tennis player Elena Rybakina in the semis of the 2025 Dubai Tennis Championships. Rybakina had a little scare in the second set of her QF match, but eventually, she was “really happy” to manage the win in just two sets.

Rybakina reached the final of this tournament in 2020 as well and guess what? But since then, it’s her first semifinal appearance in Dubai. Only Venus Williams and Petra Kvitova have a longer gap between their first two SF appearances at this venue. Will the Kazakh star get past Andreeva?

Elena Rybakina vs Mirra Andreeva: Preview

Elena Rybakina has been having a challenging time off the court. However, she isn’t letting those things affect her game in Dubai. Rybakina defeated America’s Sofia Kenin in the QF by 6-2,7-6(2). Her dominating performance in the previous match has now put her on the front seat ahead of this epic SF clash.

However, we must not forget her opponent in this match Mirra Andreeva stunned Iga Swiatek in the quarterfinals by 6-3,6-3. With this emphatic victory over Swiatek, the Russian has now become the youngest to record five Top 10 wins since Nicole Vaidisova in 2017!

Rybakina vs Andreeva: Head-to-Head

Elena Rybakina has faced Mirra Andreeva only once in her career so far. The Kazakhstani star had the last laugh in their first encounter. So, currently, Rybakina has a 1-0 lead over Andreeva in the H2H record.

• 2023 Beijing R16: Rybakina 2-6,6-4,6-1.

Prediction: Rybakina to win this match in three sets

Beating the world number 2 and then facing the number 7 in the very next match is extremely challenging. However, Mirra Andreeva has already shown that she has enormous potential. Still, Elena Rybakina’s experience of delivering her A-game on big occasions may come in handy against someone like Andreeva. Rybakina has been in these types of situations many times in her career. Andreeva, on the other hand, is still a newcomer on the Tour! Considering these factors, Rybakina definitely has the upper hand going into this match.

The Kazakh has a win-loss record of 13-4 this season, while it’s 11-3 for Andreeva (14) in 2025. Both these players have been in tremendous form in Dubai, but Rybakina’s previous performances in this tournament will also boost her confidence ahead of these deciders.

Talking about their playing styles, Mirra Andreeva is an aggressive baseliner who possesses venomous groundstrokes in her armory. She is often seen forcing errors out of her opponents with her powerful shots. Even her wide range of shots can be a bit tricky at times for her opponents on hard courts. Apart from that, Andreeva’s incredible agility and court coverage are some of the most talked about aspects of her game.

Elena Rybakina, on the other hand, is an aggressive baseliner who aims to finish points quickly. Her high-risk game often accumulates both winners and unforced errors during her matches. She can generate effortless power with her groundstrokes and her serve.

Talking about serves, do you know Rybakina has already hit 34 aces in three matches in this tournament? She’s in good touch at the moment! Apart from her serves, Rybakina’s forehand and backhand shots are often quite flat and with relentless depth and speed. Looking at all these aspects of her game, Elena Rybakina seems quite equipped to win this battle Mirra Andreeva! The prediction is for the Kazakh to win the match in a three-setter.