Mirra Andreeva has been making waves on the professional circuit since she was merely 15 years old. 2 years down the line, she has conquered her first WTA 1000 event and her second career title after defeating Clara Tauson 7-6(1), 6-1 to win the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. The cherry on the top is that she had also managed to break into the top ten with this victory. When it came time for her victory speech, she made sure to acknowledge the MVP of her journey- herself!

Andreeva isn’t just winning—she’s rewriting history books. At 17 years and 298 days old, she is now the youngest WTA 1000 finalist and champion since the format began in 2009. With this win, she jumps from No. 14 to No. 9 in the rankings, making her the first 17-year-old to crack the Top 10 since Nicole Vaidisova in 2007.

A moment like this definitely deserves a pat on the back. During her victory speech, the Russian star kept it real, acknowledging the hard work she’s put in behind the scenes. The teenage tennis player said, “Last but not least, I’d like to thank me. I know what I’ve been dealing with, so I want to thank me for always believing in me. I want to thank me for never quitting & always dealing with the pressure. Today was not easy, but I chose to be there 100%, so I thank myself.”

The new World No. 9 didn’t just stroll into the final—she battled her way through a brutal match. The 17-year-old stunned World No. 2 Iga Swiatek in the quarterfinals, taking her down in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3. Then came a tense showdown against World No. 7 Elena Rybakina, where Andreeva clawed back from 3-1 down in the deciding set to win 6-4, 4-6, 6-3. Her resilience and fearless shot-making set the stage for a historic final against Tauson. And once again, she delivered.

Can you believe that the Russian tennis sensation has already ticked off her end-of-the-year goal?

Mirra Andreeva reveals ticking off year-end goal in February

Mirra Andreeva has never been shy about her ambitions. Last year, she reached the semifinals of Roland Garros, defeating then-World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka along the way. She also picked up her first career title at the Iași Open and an Olympic silver medal in doubles with Diana Shnaider.

Her biggest goal for 2025? Breaking into the Top 10. And guess what? She’s already done it—in February. In her on-court interview after her win, she said, “I set a goal for myself to be Top 10 by the end of the year, and it’s just February and I have already made it, so this is something incredible for me, and I’m just super happy with the way I was playing today.”

In a battle between two first-time WTA 1000 finalists, it was the No. 12 seed who handled the big stage better, wrapping up the match in 1 hour and 46 minutes. A first WTA 1000 final is never easy, and Andreeva admitted she felt the nerves. The teenage sensation said, “I was h–la nervous, I think you could see during the match, all those double-faults (5), mistakes. I’m just really happy that I could manage and deal with the pressure, and now it just feels amazing.”

In the end, she sealed her title on her second championship point—with the ball on her own racket. A fitting way to cap off a breakthrough week. So, what’s next for the 17-year-old tennis star? If she’s already ticked off her year-end goal in February, is a Grand Slam on the cards next? What do you think?