On a day packed with twists, tension, and top-tier tennis, Amanda Anisimova staged a memorable comeback to edge out defending champion Mirra Andreeva in the quarterfinals of the 2026 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. The American, seeded No. 2, rallied from a set and a break down to claim a 2-6, 7-5, 7-6(4) victory in two hours and thirty-eight minutes, booking her ticket to a much-anticipated semifinal against compatriot Jessica Pegula.
Entering the match, all eyes were on Andreeva, the 18-year-old Russian sensation who took Dubai by storm last year, dropping just a single set en route to the title. With a seven-match win streak and a string of dominant performances—including her recent straight-sets win over Jaqueline Cristian—Andreeva looked poised for another deep run. Her hard-court credentials were impressive: a 27-9 record over the past year, three tournament victories, and a break-point conversion rate that ranked her among the world’s best.
Anisimova, meanwhile, had her own momentum. Having recently dispatched Indonesia’s Janice Tjen in straight sets, she came into Dubai with a 24-10 hard-court record over the last year and a reputation for heavy hitting. Though she’d lost her Doha title in the previous week, the American was favored by oddsmakers to advance, with betting lines giving her a slight edge over Andreeva.
The match began with Andreeva in complete control. The Russian, seeded fifth, broke Anisimova three times in the opening set, firing four aces and keeping unforced errors to a minimum. Her tactics and execution were spot on, and she quickly built a 2-0 lead in the second set, looking every bit the defending champion. Anisimova, however, refused to fold. Down by a set and a break—and staring at two more break points—she steadied her nerves and found her groove, reeling off five consecutive games to surge ahead 5-2.
Andreeva wasn’t done yet. She rediscovered her first-set form to level the second set at 5-5, but Anisimova stayed composed, taking the next two games to force a decider. The American’s power and willingness to mix up her tactics—venturing to the net and using drop shots—began to unsettle the Russian. “Before the match that wasn’t really something in my mind,” Anisimova said about her net play. “But as the match went on, she gets to every single ball. So I felt like I was trying different things, like drop shots, coming into the net, trying to use the court as much as I can because otherwise I don’t think that the point would finish if I just kept hitting the ball.”
The third set was a rollercoaster. Andreeva grabbed an early break to go up 3-1, only for Anisimova to storm back, winning four of the next five games to lead 5-3 and serve for the match. But with her back to the wall, Andreeva produced some of her best tennis, saving a match point with a deft forehand slice and then breaking twice to take a 6-5 lead. Serving for the match herself, the Russian faltered, and Anisimova broke back to force a decisive tie-break.
Early in the tie-break, Anisimova seized the initiative, rattling off five straight points to go up 5-1. Andreeva clawed back a few, but the American’s aggression paid off as she converted her fourth match point, sealing the win and sending herself into her first semifinal since the 2025 WTA Finals in Riyadh. “I was almost in tears there at the end,” Anisimova admitted in her on-court interview. “It was such a tough battle, and I thought we played incredible tennis. Seeing Mirra down like that, it’s understandable. We both fought so hard today, and it made me emotional seeing her like that. She was playing so well, she’s the defending champion and I feel like we both won on the court today. These type of matches, it’s always tough that someone has to lose at the end of the day.”
Andreeva, visibly emotional after her final backhand sailed long, bent double in disappointment. The loss ended her title defense and her impressive run in Dubai, but Anisimova was quick to praise her opponent’s talent and resilience. “It’s not easy to see someone that gives their all and then to react like that,” Anisimova said in her press conference. “It made me really sad for her. In my mind, I was just thinking if she keeps playing like this, there’s a title around the corner for her. Obviously she’s going to have a great year. She seems to be doing all the right things.”
The victory marked Anisimova’s first Top 10 win of 2026 and the second time she’s bested Andreeva in a three-set thriller—the first coming at last year’s Miami Open, where she snapped Andreeva’s 13-match winning streak. It also sets up a tantalizing semifinal clash with Jessica Pegula, who edged out Clara Tauson 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 to reach her seventh consecutive WTA semifinal, a streak stretching back to the 2025 US Open. Pegula has dominated their head-to-head so far, holding a 4-0 record over Anisimova, including a straight-sets win in last month’s Australian Open quarterfinal.
For Anisimova, the win was a testament to her evolving game and mental toughness. “I feel I’m always learning when you play matches like that,” she said. “I’m expanding my game, and that’s something I feel like I really want to get better at.” Her ability to adjust tactics on the fly, especially in the heat of a high-stakes battle, may prove crucial as she prepares to face Pegula for a spot in the Dubai final.
As the dust settles on an epic quarterfinal, fans can only marvel at the resilience and skill on display from both players. Anisimova’s victory not only ends Andreeva’s reign in Dubai but also injects fresh intrigue into a tournament already brimming with storylines. With an all-American semifinal on the horizon, the drama in Dubai is far from over.