“Now it’s going to be Conchita’s job to prepare me well for this match,” Mirra Andreeva said ahead of her Indian Wells final with World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka on Sunday. Conchita Martinez, her coach and a Wimbledon legend, has worked since 2024 to refine Andreeva’s game and manage her nerves. But with a history of pressure-induced frustration, including arm-biting, the mental challenge against Sabalenka is immense. As they face off for the third time in 2025, how is Andreeva finding inner peace beyond her coach’s tactics? Could a psychologist be the key?

Mirra Andreeva, 17, made history by defeating two-time champion Iga Swiatek in the Indian Wells semifinal, becoming the youngest finalist since Kim Clijsters in 2001. She joins an exclusive group of only five players to reach the final before turning 18 since the tournament’s beginning in 1989, a list that includes Clijsters, Monica Seles, Martina Hingis, and Serena Williams. Following Iga Swiatek’s lead, who credits sports psychology for her success, Mirra Andreeva has also embraced this mental tool.

“Yes. I’ve been working with a sports psychologist,” Mirra Andreeva confirmed this news in the post match interview with Tennis Channel. According to the 17-year-old, her agent helped her get in contact with a sports psychologist. It also proved decisive in her stunning victory over the world No. 2 at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. But how long has this collaboration been going?

Per Andreeva, it actually started from the Australian Open in January. “So I can say that in Australia it was okay.” Since then, the psychologist has been a crucial part of her team in events like the Qatar Open and then in Dubai. So has it really helped her on a mental level?

Yes. Explaining the impact, she said, “I just feel like I improved a lot and I feel like I’m getting stronger and I feel like I’m stable mentally. And I know what to do.” Nowadays, all she does is “try to always stay positive, and I feel like it gives me a lot of strength and also a lot of confidence that goes into my tennis. So, you know, I think that we’re doing a good job and we’re doing everything right. So I’m just happy that we have this kind of team.”

During the event in Dubai, in her match against Swiatek, she realized how crucial the role of a psychologist is. In the QF stage, she was once trailing, being on the verge of losing. “Today when I was losing 1-3, I just honestly knew I was right there with her. It was just a matter of some points that didn’t go my way,” she said while emphasizing on her interactions her psychologist. “I just thought that, ‘Okay, it’s going to take some time but I’m going to go back and I’m going to try to come back and win the second set.’”

Even last month, she reflected on the positive changes of having a psychologist. Especially in terms of treating her anger issues. “I have some new tips. I have some new advices in a way how to work with my anger inside, what to do when I don’t feel great, how to maintain my level when I feel great, how to keep being me.” reported Tennis.com on February 20.

Seems like she will need to imbibe a similar mentality against Sabalenka. But how’s she feeling before facing her third time this season?

Mirra Andreeva looks to take her revenge on Aryna Sabalenka in 2025 Indian Wells final

Following her victory in the semis, Mirra Andreeva sat down for a presser, dated March 14, talking about her performance. When asked about her thoughts about going against the World No.1, again, the 17-year-old said, “Yeah, the matches that we played this year didn’t really go my way. Yeah, I can say she almost killed me, especially in Melbourne.”

Back in January, Sabalenka defeated Andreeva twice. Firstly, she ousted her in the SF of Brisbane International 6-3, 6-2. Then at the Australian Open, the Belarusian edged her out with a brutal score line of 6-1, 6-2. Moreover, Sabalenka leads the overall h2h tally 4-1 against her. Andreeva’s only win against Aryna Sabalenka came last season, during the French Open quarterfinal. Back in June 2024, the teenage sensation beat her 6-7, 6-4, 6-4. With that, she became the youngest Grand Slam semifinalist since Martina Hingis in 1997.

Andreeva will try to lift her second straight WTA 1000 title on Sunday. Plus, she will also look to settle scores with the World No.1. “Yeah, I’m gonna try to take a revenge, because I still have nothing to lose, and I feel like the match is going to be probably entertaining. There is going to be a lot of, I think, a lot of winners, a lot of great points,” she added.

On the other hand, Sabalenka will try to lift her first Indian Wells trophy after failing in 2023. Two years ago, she lost the final against Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina, who won the tournament. What’s your prediction about the anticipated battle in the Californian desert? Who will have the last laugh? Let us know in the comments below.