Mirra Andreeva, the Russian tennis sensation who recently clinched her second successive WTA title by defeating world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka at Indian Wells, has come under fire for her conduct during the game. The teenager was involved in a heated moment on the court which has drawn criticism from former Grand Slam champion, Rennae Stubbs.
The incident transpired during the intense match when Andreeva lost her cool and was caught on camera propelling a ball into the stands. This display of temper has not gone unnoticed, with Stubbs branding her behavior as reminiscent of a “brat”. The Australian tennis veteran, known for her forthright views, called for stricter action by the authorities against such on-court antics.
Stubbs, speaking candidly on her dedicated Tennis Podcast, expressed her disapproval. “We saw her hit that ball out of the crowd and she said ‘I am really sorry about how I acted,’ as you would probably say, I think she said in the ceremony, I would call that being a brat,” she declared.
This incident follows on the heels of another controversy involving former world No. 1, Iga Swiatek. The Polish star was reprimanded for nearly hitting a ball boy during her semi-final defeat against Andreeva. These incidents have sparked a debate about the on-court conduct of tennis players, with Stubbs expressing her strong views on the matter.
“I do not like to see that. I do not like to see balls hit out like that. I do not like to see the way Iga [hit the ball], who also said sorry. And this is coming from who had a pretty good temper on the court but I was not a real ball hitter out the court. I was more of a self-sabotager. This hitting balls out the stadium has got to stop,” she emphatically stated.
Andreeva, for her part, did not shy away from acknowledging her mistake. The youngster promptly issued an apology during her post-match trophy presentation at Indian Wells.
Meanwhile, Swiatek chose to address the issue publicly on social media. In a detailed statement, she expressed remorse for her actions, clarifying her intentions were not to aim at anyone, but to vent out her frustration by bouncing the ball on the ground. “I immediately apologised to the ball boy, we made eye contact and nodded to each other when I expressed regret that it happened near him. Usually, I control such impulses, so half-jokingly I can say I lack experience in this and misjudged my aim in the heat of the moment,” she wrote.
Andreeva is now gearing up for her second-round match against Veronika Kudermetova at the Miami Open this week, with an opportunity to secure the prestigious Sunshine Double. Whether the recent controversy will affect her performance on court remains to be seen.
