INDIAN WELLS: World number two Aryna Sabalenka got her WTA Finals campaign off to a winning start with a hard-fought victory over Karolina Muchova, while Mirra Andreeva eased past Elina Svitolina as Group 2 action got underway on Monday.

Making her sixth consecutive appearance at the season-ending tournament, Sabalenka had to work hard to overcome a determined Muchova 7-6(7/2), 7-5, with the Czech making her debut at the event after a breakthrough season that included titles in Doha and Bad Homburg and a run to the Wimbledon final.

The Belarusian, who is seeking her first WTA Finals crown, had to dig deep in the opening set, breaking back when Muchova served for it at 5-4 before dominating the ensuing tiebreak to take the lead after almost an hour.

Sabalenka appeared to have gained control in the second set with a 4-2 lead, but the Czech refused to go away, breaking back when her opponent was serving for the match to level at 5-5.

Muchova’s resistance proved short-lived, however, as Sabalenka broke again before finally serving out the contest.

“She’s such an incredible player. Always tough battles. I was just trying to stay calm and focus point by point. She can come back any time. You have to be focused from beginning till the end,” Sabalenka said on court.

“I’m super happy with the level I played. To get the first win, it’s really important. Great start.

“I’m just trying to win every match I play, and at the same time trying to stay in the moment and focus on my game on each point and trying to stay calm and in control,” the four-time Grand Slam champion added.

In a meeting between youth and experience, French Open champion Andreeva made an impressive debut by dispatching the 2018 WTA Finals champion Svitolina 6-4, 6-0.

The Russian needed just one break of serve to take the opening set before raising her level considerably in the second, where she swept through all six games to complete a commanding victory.

Svitolina, who beat Andreeva at the Australian Open, struggled to find answers this time around, failing to convert any of the six break points she earned.

“I was trying to think about was that she beat me in Australia earlier this year. I really tried not to think about the match we had last year on these courts,” Andreeva said of her 2025 Indian Wells win over Svitolina.

“I remember how I was playing when I beat her here, but I knew it would be a tricky match. She’s an amazing player. I’m just very happy I was able to get through the match.”

Andreeva, though, admitted that early-match nerves left her feeling completely paralyzed on the court.

“I was so tight, I felt I was moving like a turtle,” the teenager said afterwards. “I felt like I couldn’t really hit the ball so I’m just very happy to get through the match and control my emotions.”

Andreeva will face Sabalenka in her second round robin game on Wednesday.

This year’s WTA Finals were scheduled to be held in Saudi Arabia but in July were moved to Indian Wells after US military strikes on Iran in February and the subsequent war in the region.

Published in Dawn, November 11th, 2026