‘Diva’ Mirra Andreeva closes in on Sabalenka’s No. 2 ranking

Aryna Sabalenka’s year just keeps going from bad to worse. After losing her hold on the top spot to Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina earlier in the year, she is now in danger of losing the No 2 spot as well.

The Belarussian on Wednesday was decimated 6-4, 6-0 by Russia’s Mirra Andreeva, the challenger to her position as the second-best player on the WTA Tour, with the teenager rattling off 11 consecutive games to power her way into the last four of the WTA Finals.

The reigning French Open champion is in imperious form, having hammered Elina Svitolina by the same scoreline in her first match and her victory over Sabalenka saw her overtake the 28-year-old in the live WTA rankings.

Andreeva entered the tournament trailing Sabalenka by 179 points (6,306 to 6,485), meaning she needed to outscore Sabalenka by at least 180 points across the event.

At the WTA Finals, players earn 200 points for each round-robin win and 0 points for a loss. With Andreeva at 2-0 and Sabalenka at 1-1 in Group 2, the Russian currently holds a 21-point lead.

Following her resounding win, Andreeva, who gave coach Conchita Martinez "82% of the credit" for a post-warmup pep talk that she feels spurred her to victory, said: "Oh my God, I'm even happier than I was after my first match. I feel like I can play another two matches, I'm so full of energy. I'm so pumped up. I'm so happy."

The 2025 Dubai champion, whose three titles this year include her maiden major at Roland Garros, is making her singles debut in the elite season-ending event. Incidentally, she was the subject of a pre-tournament hot mic diatribe from fellow competitor Jessica Pegula; the American was heard calling Andreeva a "diva" and made other comments for which she has since apologized.

For Sabalenka, whose three wins this season include prestigious back-to-back victories at Indian Wells and Miami but no Grand Slams, it was another disappointing performance,.

Making her sixth straight Finals appearance, Sabalenka can still advance if she beats Svitolina in their final round-robin match on Friday.

Svitolina roared back from a set down to beat compatriot Karolina Muchova 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 in the other match of the day, with the latter now eliminated.