Aryna Sabalenka sends message about Mirra Andreeva escaping "abusive" coaches as she reveals personal experiences after Indian Wells

Aryna Sabalenka emphasized the importance of having the “right” people around after praising Mirra Andreeva for making the right decision with Conchita Martinez. The Belarusian indicated that the teenager avoided coaches with “abusive” tendencies by choosing Martinez.

Andreeva stunned top seed Sabalenka 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 to win the 2025 BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells on Sunday, March 16. In doing so, the Russian clinched her second straight WTA 1000 title, having won the Dubai Tennis Championships in February.

Mirra Andreeva’s path to the Indian Wells title was nothing short of extraordinary. The 17-year-old beat Varvara Gracheva, Clara Tauson, Elina Svitolina, and former Indian Wells champions Elena Rybakina and Iga Swiatek en route to the final. Notably, she also got the better of Rybakina and Swiatek during her title run in Dubai.

Andreeva’s success at such a young age has garnered immense public attention, with fans and experts alike praising her coach, Conchita Martinez, for guiding her along the way. In her runner-up speech, Aryna Sabalenka, too, congratulated her opponent for bagging Martinez as her coach. When asked about her special shoutout in the press conference, the World No. 1 said:

"Of course, 100% (having the right team is a big factor)."

She disclosed that she was in the company of “wrong people” when she was Mirra Andreeva’s age.

"Talking about me in that age, I was surrounded by so many wrong people," she recalled. "Finally when I was able to get rid of those people and I surrounded myself with the right people -- you kind of have more confidence and everything is more calm and the atmosphere in the team is very healthy."

Sabalenka suggested that with Conchita Martinez by her side, the teenager has escaped being instructed by potentially “abusive” coaches, an issue that is seemingly prevalent in the tennis community.

"So team is very important. I can see she has her family who is helping her with, I'm sure, with a lot of decisions. She has Conchita, which is really experienced person and very nice person and she doesn't have the abusive things," Aryna Sabalenka said.

Mirra Andreeva pictured with Conchita Martinez (second from left), her mother (second from right), and team at the 2025 BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells - Image Source: Getty

Conchita Martinez, the 1994 Wimbledon champion, is known for her work with former World No. 1 Garbine Muguruza. She also previously trained another No. 1, Karolina Pliskova. Andreeva began her coaching collaboration with Martinez in mid-2024. Their partnership paid dividends from the get-go as the player reached her maiden Grand Slam semifinal by beating Sabalenka at the 2024 French Open.

Just weeks later, she clinched her maiden tour-level title at the WTA 250 Iasi Open. In October that year, Mirra Andreeva featured in her second final at the WTA 500 Ningbo Open, falling short against Daria Kasatkina. After winning the Dubai Tennis Championships this year, she cracked the top 10 and enjoys a career-high ranking of World No. 6 after her Indian Wells heroics.

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Aryna Sabalenka on her experiences with coaches in light of remark on Mirra Andreeva: "I don't have regrets"

Aryna Sabalenka pictured with her team at the 2024 Australian Open - Image Source: Getty

Speaking about her own team in the aforementioned press conference, Aryna Sabalenka said:

"I wish I’d have had my team, my current team in that (Mirra Andreeva’s) age. Probably (I) would be much bigger by now."

About her own team, Aryna Sabalenka said in the aforementioned press conference:

"Well, I don't have any regrets, because it's my experience. Because of that experience, I'm much more mature right now and I know things," she said about her past collaborations.

"But of course I wish I would be a little bit smarter in that age or I would listen to my family a little bit more," she added.

Aryna Sabalenka is presently coached by Anton Dubrov, who served as her hitting partner in the past. He assumed the leading role in 2020, replacing the World No. 1's longtime coach Dmitry Tursunov after their sudden split. Other significant members of her entourage include fitness coach Jason Stacy and hitting partner Andrei Vasilevski.