Tennis-Andreeva dispatches Pegula to reach WTA Finals championship match

Russian teenager ​Mirra Andreeva extended her unbeaten run ​at the WTA Finals ‌on Saturday, ​beating American Jessica Pegula 6-3 6-4 to reach the final of the season-ending tournament.

Andreeva's heavy groundstrokes, strong serving ‌and tireless defense were too much for Pegula in their first career meeting, played under sunny skies in the California desert. "It was a tough match," Andreeva said. "You have to ‌work hard to win a point against her. She is going to leave ‌everything out there and make your life complicated, so I wanted to make her life complicated as well today."

The opening set was tight until Andreeva pounced on a looping Pegula shot and ⁠hit a ​forehand winner to ⁠break for a 5-3 lead. Pegula, backed by a supportive crowd, earned break points as Andreeva served ⁠for the set. She shanked an overhead long, however, and Andreeva took the set two points ​later when Pegula's backhand found the net.

Pegula broke early in the second ⁠set to lead 3-1 after Andreeva sent a backhand long. The third seed broke straight back with ⁠a ​deft volley and broke again to lead 4-3 before sealing the win when a Pegula backhand sailed long. Andreeva, making her WTA Finals debut, has not ⁠dropped a set in four matches at the event.

She will face either sixth seed Elina ⁠Svitolina or eighth ⁠seed Linda Noskova in Sunday's final. The $10 million tournament was moved from Riyadh to the Indian Wells Tennis Garden because ‌of the ‌US-Israeli war with Iran.