Teenage sensation Mirra Andreeva followed up her historic Dubai title win last month by fighting back from a set down against Aryna Sabalenka to beat the world No 1 in the Indian Wells final.
Andreeva became the youngest ever player to win an elite 1000 level crown when she defeated Clara Tauson in the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships final.
That run saw the 17-year-old defeat three Grand Slam winners on her way to victory over the Dane after knocking out Marketa Vondrousova, Elena Rybakina and world No 2 Iga Swiatek.
In California, Andreeva once again beat Tauson, Rybakina and Swiatek en route to facing the top-ranked Sabalenka in the final, with the Belarusian making a flying start by taking the first set.
But Andreeva hit back to level proceedings before breaking the three-time Grand Slam champion three times in the third set, on her way to a 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 win on Sunday evening.
“I would like to thank myself for fighting to the end, for always believing and for never quitting,” said Andreeva, who pushed her 2025 record to 19-3 – the most wins of any woman on the WTA tour.
“I was running like a rabbit today because Aryna she was sending bullets and it was really hard to keep up.”
At 17 years and 321 days old, the Russian became the third-youngest woman to hoist the Indian Wells trophy after Martina Hingis (17 years, 166 days) and Serena Williams (17 years, 169 days).
By beating defending champion Swiatek in the semis, she also became the first player under the age of 18 to beat the top two at the same WTA tournament since Williams beat Lindsay Davenport and Hingis at the 1999 US Open.
“Maybe it's happening fast, but I like it,” Andreeva said after ensuring she will climb to a career-high sixth in the world. “If it's happening fast, I take it.”
Andreeva credits the steadying influence of coach Conchita Martinez for settling her nerves on Sunday, when she was a bundle of nerves as she prepared to take on Sabalenka, who had won four of their previous five encounters, including two this year.
“I would actually say that I was a brat, and there were a lot of nerves as well,” Andreeva said of her Sunday morning self.
“When I'm nervous, I kind of tend to close my personality a little bit, so I don't let anybody in. I don't really talk much.
“Conchita tried to kind of create a nice and relaxed atmosphere around us today, but in the morning it was a bit tough for me because I was nervous. In the end, she did good with it.”
Sabalenka had powered into the final without dropping a set but it was another disappointment for the Belarusian, who was stunned by Madison Keys in the final at Melbourne to see her bid for a third successive Australian Open title denied.
Unlike in Melbourne when she played “like a joke”, Sabalenka said this time she let her emotions get the better of her.
“Honestly, was me against me,” she said. “I made a lot of unforced errors on important points, and I just let her play a little bit better … I was just too angry with myself, because it shouldn't be the way I finished and I was just angry with myself.
“I should have just thrown that aggression on that side instead of being too hard on myself.”
Sabalenka questioned her own desire after a last-16 exit to world No 38 Tausen in Dubai which meant she had won just one of the three matches she contested during the Middle East swing.
“I believe that I'm not that hungry on court,” said Sabalenka following her loss to Tauson in the UAE.
“I'm kind of all over the place in my thoughts and not consistent on the court. The decisions I'm making on the court are a bit wrong and emotionally, I'm not on my best.”
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
School counsellors on mental well-being
Schools counsellors in Abu Dhabi have put a number of provisions in place to help support pupils returning to the classroom next week.
Many children will resume in-person lessons for the first time in 10 months and parents previously raised concerns about the long-term effects of distance learning.
Schools leaders and counsellors said extra support will be offered to anyone that needs it. Additionally, heads of years will be on hand to offer advice or coping mechanisms to ease any concerns.
“Anxiety this time round has really spiralled, more so than from the first lockdown at the beginning of the pandemic,” said Priya Mitchell, counsellor at The British School Al Khubairat in Abu Dhabi.
“Some have got used to being at home don’t want to go back, while others are desperate to get back.
“We have seen an increase in depressive symptoms, especially with older pupils, and self-harm is starting younger.
“It is worrying and has taught us how important it is that we prioritise mental well-being.”
Ms Mitchell said she was liaising more with heads of year so they can support and offer advice to pupils if the demand is there.
The school will also carry out mental well-being checks so they can pick up on any behavioural patterns and put interventions in place to help pupils.
At Raha International School, the well-being team has provided parents with assessment surveys to see how they can support students at home to transition back to school.
“They have created a Well-being Resource Bank that parents have access to on information on various domains of mental health for students and families,” a team member said.
“Our pastoral team have been working with students to help ease the transition and reduce anxiety that [pupils] may experience after some have been nearly a year off campus.
"Special secondary tutorial classes have also focused on preparing students for their return; going over new guidelines, expectations and daily schedules.”
Brief scores:
Toss: Nepal, chose to field
UAE 153-6: Shaiman (59), Usman (30); Regmi 2-23
Nepal 132-7: Jora 53 not out; Zahoor 2-17
Result: UAE won by 21 runs
Series: UAE lead 1-0
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EKinetic%207%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202018%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Rick%20Parish%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Abu%20Dhabi%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Clean%20cooking%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%2410%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Self-funded%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%201.8-litre%204-cyl%20turbo%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E190hp%20at%205%2C200rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20320Nm%20from%201%2C800-5%2C000rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeven-speed%20dual-clutch%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%206.7L%2F100km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20From%20Dh111%2C195%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Evacuations to France hit by controversy
- Over 500 Gazans have been evacuated to France since November 2023
- Evacuations were paused after a student already in France posted anti-Semitic content and was subsequently expelled to Qatar
- The Foreign Ministry launched a review to determine how authorities failed to detect the posts before her entry
- Artists and researchers fall under a programme called Pause that began in 2017
- It has benefited more than 700 people from 44 countries, including Syria, Turkey, Iran, and Sudan
- Since the start of the Gaza war, it has also included 45 Gazan beneficiaries
- Unlike students, they are allowed to bring their families to France
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
The five pillars of Islam
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
