Following their singles victories at the previous two WTA 1000 events, Mirra Andreeva added a doubles title to her achievements at the Miami Open, a WTA 1000 series tournament presented by Itaú.
In Miami on Sunday, Andreeva and Diana Shnaider, as unseeded players, won the doubles final, defeating Cristina Bucsa and Miyu Kato with a score of 6-3, 6-7(5), [10-2]. The match lasted 1 hour and 36 minutes, excluding an almost six-hour rain delay.
This title marks the second and most prestigious WTA doubles title in the careers of both Andreeva and Shnaider. Their first title together was at the WTA 500 Brisbane in January. They also reached the semifinals of the Australian Open in the same month.
On Monday, Andreeva and Shnaider are projected to rise to the second position in the PIF Race to the WTA Finals doubles ranking, second only to the top-ranked team of Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend.
The Sunday final featured three players who had won women`s doubles medals at the previous year`s Olympics at Roland Garros. Andreeva and Shnaider claimed silver in Paris, while Bucsa earned bronze alongside Sara Sorribes Tormo.
Bucsa and Kato`s season gained momentum with their performance in Miami. Prior to this tournament, they had a 0-5 record as a duo this year, but secured their first team win of 2025 in the first round. Subsequently, they achieved a series of victories, including a significant upset against top seeds Siniakova and Townsend in the semifinals.
However, Andreeva and Shnaider prevented them from taking the title. The 17-year-old Andreeva and 20-year-old Shnaider, both ranked within the top 15 in singles, fought hard to claim the championship.
Despite an almost six-hour rain delay after the initial three games, the beginning of the final was relatively routine for Andreeva and Shnaider, who established a 6-3, 3-2 lead, securing a set and a break advantage.
Nevertheless, skillful play from Bucsa and Kato brought them back into contention, leading to a second-set tiebreak. Well-executed volleys by Bucsa and Kato helped them win the second set in a comeback.
In the decisive match-tiebreak, Andreeva and Shnaider`s powerful rally game prevailed again. Shnaider`s left-handed forehand particularly wore down their opponents, and Andreeva executed a forehand passing shot down the line to reach seven championship points at 9-2.
They needed just one point: a strong serve from Shnaider followed by a putaway from Andreeva secured them their biggest title and moved them closer to the top of the PIF Race standings.
More updates to follow…
