A blazing serve may not guarantee victory in professional tennis, but it’s undoubtedly a powerful weapon and a pure spectacle! While Aussie Sam Groth still holds the ATP record of the fastest serve ever with a jaw-dropping 163.7 mph (263.4 kph) rocket at the Busan Open in 2012, the Spaniard Georgina Garcia Pérez owns the WTA’s fastest at 136.7 mph (220 kph). But hey, now a new name is turning heads in the California desert as Russian prodigy Mirra Andreeva hits one of her fastest serves, leaving the former pro Patrick McEnroe absolutely stunned.

The 17-year-old Andreeva is taking the 2025 season by storm! After early exits at the AO and Qatar Open, she roared back at the Dubai Tennis Championships, dominating Clara Tauson in straight sets to become the youngest-ever WTA 1000 champion. Since her breakthrough in 2022, the Russian has been a rising force, shocking the world with a stunning Roland-Garros SF run last year, taking down top seed Aryna Sabalenka along the way as well. Now, she’s lighting up Indian Wells, toppling the second seed, Iga Świątek. But the real clincher? A scorching ace that drew a priceless reaction from McEnroe.

The Russian stepped up her game against Swiatek, holding for 3-1 with a dazzling forehand and backhand winner before surging to 4-1 as winners flew off her racquet. But those who follow Andreeva know she’s more than just raw power, isn’t she? A brilliant counterpuncher, Mirra mixes in crafty forehand drop shots and blistering serves. Case in point? In the first-set tie-break, she unleashed a 126 mph rocket, leaving fans in awe.

And as the speed lit up the scoreboard, 16-time doubles champion Patrick McEnroe took to X, posting, “Wow. Andreeva hits an ace at 126 mph.” Responding to McEnroe, Coco Gauff’s ex-coach Brad Gilbert expressed sheer amazement as well, writing, “I was thinking the same thing didn’t no she had that pop, must have been career high on speed @SharkoTennis @WTA.”

After losing a gripping first-set in the tie-break (7-6, 7-1), Iga Świątek, boasting a stellar 22-2 record in her last 24 matches at Tennis Paradise, roared back with a dominant 6-1 second set. But Andreeva wasn’t done yet! The Russian sensation came out firing in the decider, sealing a 6-3 victory and handing Świątek her second consecutive loss within a month. While the Russian player tallied 32 winners against 21 unforced errors, Swiatek hit 26 winners and committed 25 unforced errors.

Moments after her stunning triumph, Andreeva reflected on her performance at Indian Wells, radiating joy as she embraced another milestone in her 2025 breakout season.

“Decided to fight for every point” — Meera Andreeva after her win against Iga Swiatek

Dethroning Iga Świątek on the red clay of Roland Garros is one of the ultimate challenges in today’s WTA tennis. But Mirra Andreeva just conquered what might be the second-toughest task: beating Świątek at Indian Wells. The Pole’s wining percentage in the Californian desert is close to 90 and she has got two titles to her name. But Andreeva, fresh off winning her maiden WTA 1000 title in Dubai, showed what she’s capable of. After downing Swiatek in Dubai, the teenager took down the former World No. 1 again on her way to the final.

Coached by former Wimbledon champion Conchita Martínez, who reached the Indian Wells final twice herself, Andreeva extended her winning streak to 11 matches while snapping Swiatek’s 10-match run in the desert. And, in doing so, she also shattered the Second seed’s bid to become the tournament’s first three-time champion. After her victory, the Russian’s excitement was uncontainable, prompting her to share her reflections on the memorable triumph in the desert’s chilly night.

“After she literally killed me in the second set, I thought, OK, I’ll just try to fight. There is not much I could do about it, she was playing amazing. I just decided to fight for every point. It doesn’t matter how I put the ball in, but I have to put it in. In the end, it wasn’t too bad,” Andreeva said.

Andreeva, the youngest Indian Wells finalist since Kim Clijsters in 2001, is now just one step away from glory. Awaiting her in the final is another GS champion: the Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka, who avenged her Australian Open loss against Madison Keys, handing her a bagel and a breadstick in the semis.

However, Andreeva would want to continue playing the fearless brand of tennis she has played in the whole tournament. Can she cap off this dream run with a title and officially usher in the Andreeva Era? Share your thoughts below!