On February 21, local time, the 2025 WTA Dubai station ended the competition for the women's singles semifinals, and Andreeva and Tao Sen, two new generation youngsters, defeated their respective opponents and both entered the 1000 championship for the first time. This is the youngest 1000 women's singles final match between the two players with a combined age since the 2009 tour level reform.

Andreyeva

Photo: Visual China

In the first Women's Singles semi-final, 12th seed Andreeva overcame a 3-1 deficit in the deciding set to defeat sixth seed Rybakina 6-4, 4-6, 6-3.

The 17-year-old became the youngest 1000 finalist since restructuring in 2009 and the youngest player to beat three major titles in a single tournament since Sharapova at the 2004 finals, beating Vondrousova, Swiatek and Rybakina in Dubai this week. It was Andreyeva's third career final on tour, having won the WTA 250 Iasi and the WTA 500 Ningbo last year.

The game of tennis is changing rapidly, not only a contest of physical fitness and technique, but also a psychological battle. In recent years, we have seen more and more tennis players choosing to work with psychologists. Andreeva revealed in her post-match interview in the quarter-finals that she has added a similar addition to her team. "We just started [working together] a while ago and my agent got in touch with a sports psychologist and I think it helped me a lot. I learned some new tips, how to deal with anger in my heart, what to do when I feel bad, how to stay level when I'm in good shape, and how to be myself, and I got some new advice. She said she would talk to the psychologist about tennis and life.

Photo: Visual China

'If people really see it on the pitch, I'll be very happy because I've put a lot of effort into it. Every member of my team has put a lot of effort into this, and I'm glad it's been paying off so far. I hope this effect will continue forever. ”

Andreyeva's mental improvement was on full display during the week, from winning two matches in one day on Wednesday to winning five games in a row at the end of the quarter-finals and semi-finals. The talented teenager's mindset is as mature as her tennis, having reached the semi-finals of the Women's Singles at the French Open and now in the final of the WTA1000, where Andreeva defeated world No. 2 (Sabalenka and Swiatek) in both tournaments. Will she be able to combine her technical and mental advances to lift her first WTA1000 trophy in Dubai? Let's wait and see.

Andreyeva's path to the top

First round: 6-2, 6-1 Avanesyan

Second round: 7-5/6-0 Vondrousova

Third round: 6-1/6-1 Stearns

1/4 Finals: 6-3, 6-3 Swiatek[2]

Semi-finals: Rybakina, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3[6]

Towson

Photo: Visual China

The second Women's Singles semi-final also featured a three-set battle as Denmark's 22-year-old Towsen defeated 14th seed Mukhova 6-4, 6-7(4), 6-3, and she reached her fifth career final this week by beating the likes of world No.1 Sabalenka and former tournament champion Svitolina. It was Towson's 15th tour win of the year, leading the women's tennis team in terms of wins this season (Keys and Swiatek tied for second with 14).

"I've won a lot of quality races this year and I've done well in a couple of events." Towson won the WTA 250 Auckland at the start of the year and then reached the semi-finals of the WTA 500 Linz. "Consistency has always been very important to me, I've never done that in the 1000 class, and I'm not the favored side for most of the division, but I hope I'll be able to move up the rankings soon so that the pressure to win will come to my side."

Towson's path to the cut

First round: 7-6(7)/6-0 Schramkova

Second round: 7-6(5)/3-6/7-6(4) Svitolina

Third round: Sabalenka 6-3, 6-2[1]

1/4 finals: 7-6(4)/6-4 Noskova

Semi-finals: Mukhova 6-4, 6-7(4)/6-3[14]

This will be Andreeva's first professional clash with Towson, with both men aiming for the highest level of their careers, with the Women's Singles final taking place at 11pm GMT tonight. Andreeva is currently ranked No.11 in the immediate rankings, and if she wins at that time, she will break the top 10 mark in the world ranking to No.9 for the first time. For Towson, a win in the 1000 would see her first place in the top 20 in the world rankings.

In the two women's doubles semi-finals, China's Jinhua stopped in the semifinals. China's Xu Yifan/Yang Zhaoxuan lost 4-6, 6-4, 2-10 to third seeds Hsieh Shuwei/Ostapenko, while Zhang Shuai/Mladenovic missed the second set to take a 4-2 lead and lose 5-7, 5-7 to top seeds Townsend and Siniakova in the Women's Doubles final.