Mirra Andreeva just etched her name into tennis history, stunning world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 to win the Indian Wells title, her second WTA crown at the age of 17. The Russian phenom, now ranked No. 6, leads the WTA Tour with 19 main draw victories in 2025, ahead of Iga Swiatek and Madison Keys (18 each). Her Indian Wells run, which capped a career-best 12-match winning streak, makes her the second-youngest player since 1975 to defeat the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds in the final rounds of a WTA 1000 or Grand Slam, trailing only 16-year-old Tracy Austin, who did it at the 1979 US Open against Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert. Andreeva joins Maria Sharapova and Nicole Vaidisova as the third player this century to win 10+ consecutive tour-level matches before the age of 21, signaling her rise as a prodigy. After surpassing Sabalenka, she’s not just a breakout star, but a potential titan, with her poise and power drawing comparisons to tennis greats. Let’s see how she does in Miami this next two weeks.
Andreeva’s Drive: LeBron’s Words Fuel Her Fire
Andreeva’s Indian Wells triumph wasn’t just physical – it was mental, and she creditsLeBron James with sparking that resilience. After dropping the first set to Sabalenka, the 17-year-old Russian rallied with strategic drop shots and relentless defense, breaking through in the third game of the second set to shift the momentum. Her composure under pressure, she revealed, came from immersing herself in LeBron’s interviews. “I listened to LeBron James and he said that even if you’re not 100% physically, you choose to be 100% mentally – that’s what makes us champions,” Andreeva told Tennis Channel after her win.
“I tried to do the same.” That mindset fueled her comeback, unsettling Sabalenka with varied returns and sealing the match with a stunning forehand winner. LeBron, in turn, celebrated on Instagram, posting, “Congratulations, YOU did THAT!!! All your hard work, drive, and dedication to your craft. KEEP GOING! #striveforgreatness.” It’s a cross-sport inspiration, bridging the king of basketball and the rising queen of tennis.
Lakers’ Late Push for the Playoffs
With three weeks left in the NBA regular season, the Los Angeles Lakers (41-275) are in fifth place in the West, one game out of the second seed and locked in a tight race with Denver (43-25), Memphis (43-25) and Houston (43-25). LeBron James, now 40 and averaging 26.1 points, 8.2 rebounds and 8.1 assists, won’t play tonight against San Antonio because of a sore ankle, testing the Lakers’ depth. With Luka Doncic leading the way, LA is still in the hunt, but every game counts – Golden State (39-28) and Minnesota (40-29), sixth and seventh, are two games back and face brutal schedules, including matchups against top West seeds. The Rockets, Nuggets and Grizzlies are all jockeying for position, and without LeBron, coach JJ Redick will lean on Bronny James and Luka to hold down the fort. If James returns healthy, the Lakers could climb, but this stretch will determine their playoff seeding.
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