Aryna Sabalenka does not like to lose. She has been seen slamming her racket after losses, but those losses do not come very often. The Belarusian almost always makes deep runs in tournaments, though she does not always complete the deal.
A key is to not let her feel as if she needs to have some form of revenge against her opponent. That extra motivation seemingly makes her even more difficult to beat. Just ask Madison Keys, who beat Sabalenka in the final of the Australian Open. The American was destroyed by Sabalenka in the semifinals at Indian Wells 6-0 6-1, and Keys was lucky to win that one game.
Mirra Andreeva, however, is quickly figuring out exactly what it takes to win at a high level on the WTA tour. The 17-year-old will move into the top 10 when the new rankings are released, and if she wins the 2025 BNP Paribas Open, she will move all the way up to No. 6.
Who will win between Aryna Sabalenka and Mirra Andreeva in the 2025 BNP Paribas Open final?
She has learned to adapt to playing players who have much more power than she does. Andreeva is still growing into her strength, but her shot-making, whether it be from her forehand or backhand, is already shockingly good and only going to get better.
Sabalenka leads the head-to-head over Andreeva 4-1, but that does not mean the young Russian will not come into the match with confidence. She already believes she is one of the best players on the WTA tour, and she should. After she dispatched Iga Swiatek in three sets in the semifinals, Andreeva now leads the head-to-head over the WTA No. 2 2-1 and has won the last two meetings.
Still, the guess here is that Sabalenka wins the match, though in three sets. Her power should still give Andreeva issues because while a player can improve against style, facing immense power is always a problem and difficult to practice for. (That also does not mean that Andreeva does not find a way to reach No. 1 some time in 2026.)
Indian Wells WTA final details:
- Time of match: Sabalenka and Andreeva will play at 2 pm ET (11 am PT)
- How to watch: The Tennis Channel will carry the action in the United States; click here for all listings.
- Location: The tournament is held at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in Indian Wells, California. All the courts have hard surfaces.