Andreeva Edges Closer to WTA 500 Glory in Adelaide

Mirra Andreeva strides into the Adelaide final with the poise of a player ticking off career checkboxes. At 18, she already boasts three WTA titles—one at the 250 level and two WTA 1000s from last season—but the WTA 500 remains her white whale. On January 16, 2026, she overcomes friend Diana Shnaider 6-3, 6-2 in 1 hour and 23 minutes, her fifth career final now pitting her against fellow teenager Victoria Mboko in a matchup laced with junior-era familiarity.

The World No. 8 cedes an early 3-1 lead as Shnaider’s probing crosscourt shots test her depth, but Andreeva rallies in a marathon game filled with three forehand winners, four deuces, and four break points before converting to level the set. From there, she surges with six straight games, her backhand slicing underspin to jam Shnaider’s rhythm on the grippy surface. The crowd’s growing roar underscores the shift, turning the court into a stage for her tactical reset.

“Vicky, she’s a great player,” Andreeva said in her on-court interview. “She had an amazing season last year and I’ve known her since I was 12 years old. I think it’s going to be an amazing match. She’s been playing well since the beginning of the year, already. I think I’ve been playing not bad as well, so it’s going to be a great match tomorrow and I hope you guys come and support us.”

Forehand precision sparks the comeback

Andreeva’s forehand doesn’t overwhelm with raw pace but carves angles that force Shnaider into uncomfortable stretches, especially in that pivotal first-set game. Chasing a ball deep into the right corner, she redirects it inside-out for a winner that skims the line, igniting her break-back and flipping the momentum. Her serve sets up one–two patterns from there, the follow-up forehand dipping heavily with topspin to exploit the hard court’s bounce.

Even as Shnaider holds to open the second set, Andreeva’s adjustments keep the pressure on, trading holds to 3-2 before breaking to love with a crosscourt forehand that elicits an error. She closes with four consecutive games, each built on improbable retrieves that highlight her agility under the Australian sun. This precision turns early vulnerability into dominance, a psychological pivot that quiets the whispers of her title drought.

Resets turn defense into winners

At 1-1 in the second, Andreeva weathers a 15-shot rally where Shnaider dictates with deep crosscourts, pulling her wide. She lobs to buy time, resetting her footing, then unleashes a backhand on the rise down the line that clips the sideline for the point. The sequence reveals her knack for extending rallies on a surface that rewards patience, transforming Shnaider’s aggression into opportunities.

Later at deuce in that hold, a 19-shot grind tests her further; she absorbs pace with softer touches, spins 180 degrees on a desperate get, and angles a backhand winner wide. These moments showcase tactical maturity, using underspin slices to vary rhythm and disrupt Shnaider’s baseline power. By the end, Andreeva’s court coverage feels boundless, her focus sharpening as the match’s tension eases into certainty.

Finals Bound! ✈️

Mirra Andreeva defeats Shnaider in straight sets, and books a meeting with fellow teen Mboko for the title in Adelaide! #AdelaideInternational pic.twitter.com/wKtphXLvyF
— wta (@WTA) January 16, 2026

Mboko, meanwhile, storms into her third WTA final after less than an hour against local Kimberly Birrell, her powerful groundstrokes peaking after upsetting defending champion Madison Keys in the quarters. The Canadian enters 2-0 in finals, her flat-hitting game thriving on Adelaide’s medium-paced acrylic. Though they’ve known each other since age 12, nearly clashing in the 2022 US Open girls’ semifinals before Alexandra Eala advanced, this marks their WTA debut.

Teen clash tests early-season fire

Andreeva hasn’t dropped a set this week, her variety—mixing heavy topspin forehands with slice backhands—poised to counter Mboko’s straight-line aggression. Expect Mboko to target the backhand with inside-in forehands, forcing Andreeva to scramble wide and rely on those resets. The shared junior history adds an edge of respect laced with rivalry, their games evolving from court-sharing kids to title contenders.

For tournament updates, follow the Adelaide: Scores | Draws | Order of play. The final’s stakes ripple beyond the trophy: Andreeva chases that WTA 500 breakthrough to solidify her top-10 perch, while Mboko eyes a perfect 3-0 finals mark and a rankings surge. In Adelaide’s charged atmosphere, where crowd energy pulses with every baseline exchange, this showdown could launch one prodigy’s 2026 into overdrive, the winner emerging with momentum that echoes through the season.