Andreeva flips script for Adelaide triumph
Trailing 3-0 in the final, Mirra Andreeva unleashed nine straight games to dismantle Victoria Mboko and claim her first WTA 500 title, a breakthrough that signals her rising dominance on hard courts.
In the crisp Adelaide morning, Mirra Andreeva stared down an early hole against Victoria Mboko. The World No. 8 watched three quick games slip away, Mboko’s flat groundstrokes carving through the baseline like they had against Madison Keys in the quarters and Kimberly Birrell in the semis. But Andreeva, the 18-year-old Russian, exhaled and rebuilt, her game igniting into a streak that swallowed the match whole.
Early deficit sparks tactical reset
Mboko’s aggressive returns pinned Andreeva deep, the hard court’s pace amplifying those crosscourt lasers that built a 3-0 lead in minutes. Andreeva’s serve faltered under the pressure, short points exposing her positioning as the Canadian dictated from the outset. Then, in the fourth game, she dialed up heavy topspin on her forehand, lifting the ball to force Mboko wide and disrupt the rhythm.
The crowd at the Adelaide International felt the shift, murmurs turning to cheers as Andreeva broke back with deep returns that jammed her opponent inside the lines. She mixed in low-bouncing slice backhands that skidded off the Plexicushion surface, drawing errors on the up-and-down bounce. By bridging the sets, those adjustments turned vulnerability into nine consecutive games, a 1–2 pattern of serve and forehand return wearing Mboko down in extended rallies.
“it’s not how you start, but how you finish,” Andreeva said post-match, her voice steady amid the trophy lift.
Nine games seal commanding victory
With momentum hers, Andreeva owned the tempo, her footwork a blur as she whipped inside-out winners to the far corner. Mboko fought with down-the-line passes and occasional net rushes, but Andreeva’s variety—dipping drop shots and angled slices—proved too sharp on the medium-paced courts. She converted 12 of the last 13 games, rolling to a 6-3, 6-1 win in 64 minutes that left the arena buzzing.
This WTA 500 final highlighted Andreeva’s adaptability, her psychological edge turning early frustration into ruthless execution. Coming off a Brisbane runner-up, the victory silences burnout whispers from last year’s major runs, marking her fourth career title at just 18. As she hoisted the hardware, the weight of opening-week expectations lifted, her poise hinting at deeper reserves.
Hard-court surge eyes Melbourne
Andreeva’s Adelaide breakthrough catapults her hard-court game into focus, the points haul bolstering her top-10 push ahead of the Australian Open. The outdoor conditions here, with their true bounce, suit her all-court style, blending power and precision against rising challengers like Mboko. Expect this fire to carry into Melbourne, where every deficit now feels conquerable, her trajectory pointed toward Slams that demand such flips.
