Mirra Andreeva's title defense at Indian Wells ended with a loss, a smashed racket, and what appeared to be an expletive-laced sendoff to the crowd. The 18-year-old Russian top-10 player, who lifted the BNP Paribas Open trophy in California last year, fell 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-3 to Czech player Katerina Siniaková, who is ranked outside the top 40, in the third round on Tuesday, then walked off Stadium 1 gesturing and seemingly mouthing, "f--- you all," as some fans booed, per the New York Times. "I'm not really proud of how I handled it in the end," Andreeva later acknowledged. The match underscored the growing tension between Andreeva's rapid rise and her ability to cope with expectation.
She clawed back from 0-3 down to take the first set and repeatedly surged when she was trailing, but tightened when ahead, converting just 7 of 26 break points and finishing with "twice as many unforced errors as winners," per the Times. The defending champion smashed her racket after a missed swing volley in the second-set tiebreak and asked her team, including coach Conchita Martínez, to leave. After a net-cord winner ended it for Siniaková, Andreeva threw her racket, then stormed off the court, leaving some fans' mouths hanging open, per Sports Illustrated. The emotional exit adds to a string of pressure-filled defeats, including another rocky title defense in Dubai that left Andreeva sobbing.
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