Tennis is truly witnessing something special from Mirra Andreeva. At 17, Andreeva became the youngest Indian Wells finalist since Kim Clijsters in 2001 when she topped defending champion Iga Swiatek, 7-6 (1), 1-6, 6-3 on Friday afternoon.

Couple that with Andreeva just recently becoming the youngest player to win a WTA 1000 event since the series began in 2009 and it paints a picture of what might await her in the future. In the very near future, it could be the title in Indian Wells. Beyond that, perhaps silverware at Grand Slams.

Swiatek — who sported a 22-2 record in her last 24 matches in Tennis Paradise — lost to Andreeva for the second straight tournament. Andreeva recovered in the third set Friday on another chilly, windy day at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden after the five-time Grand Slam winner blew past her in set two.

“After she literally killed me in the second set, I was just, well, ‘Okay, might just try to fight,’” Andreeva said. “There is not much I could do about it. She was playing amazing. And I just kind of decided to grind and fight for every point. It doesn’t matter how I put the ball in. But I have to put it in. “So I just try to do everything and in the end, it was not too bad.”

Not too bad at all.

She broke immediately in the third, a few points after tossing her racquet in dismay. By this time, Swiatek was in all-out attack mode, with Andreeva trying to fend her off. And she did.

Andreeva stepped it up to hold for 3-1, finishing the game with a forehand and backhand winner. She pushed on for 4-1 as the winners continued to fly off her racquet from the baseline. But those who have watched Andreeva know she’s more than just about power.
She counter punches superbly, often has success with her forehand drop shot and can smack serves. In the first set tiebreak, for example, Andreeva uncorked a rocket 126 mph delivery.

Swiatek might feel that the first set was hers for the taking. Yes, Andreeva carved out the first three break points in two different games — but only after Swiatek’s mini opportunities didn’t escalate. Andreeva was at 30-all in her first three service games, holding each time.

That after Swiatek flew out of the starting blocks, racing to eight straight points on serve. Andreeva broke through for 5-4, assisted by a double fault, only to drop serve for 5-5. Thus began a brief spell where Andreeva’s forehand swooned.

Serving at 5-6, 0-30, things looked bleak for Andreeva, but the teen hung on — then played an almost perfect tiebreak.

The speedy serve wasn’t her lone highlight. Andreeva also half-volleyed a fine Swiatek return from the baseline, later ending the point with a volley winner. She can do it all.

The intense first set might have caught up with the lesser experienced Andreeva in the second, but her response in the third was emphatic.

Andreeva finished with 32 winners and 21 unforced errors, with Swiatek’s numbers certainly not shabby — 26 and 25, respectively. Andreeva will face another Grand Slam winner in the final, either Aryna Sabalenka or Madison Keys.

She’ll continue to get guidance from coach Conchita Martinez, who fell in two finals in the desert. “I know my coach lost in the finals — I’m going to try to be better than her,” Andreeva said light heartedly. “I’m going to try to do it and we’re going to see how it will go. Of course, she has a lot of experience and I hope she’ll give me some advice.”