Andreeva curses at crowd after Indian Wells loss

Mirra Andreeva exited the BNP Paribas Open in dramatic fashion after a tense defeat to Kateřina Siniaková, appearing to curse toward the crowd as she left the court.

The 18-year-old, who won the title at Indian Wells last year, was knocked out after a tough three-set battle, losing 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-3 in California. As she walked off Stadium 1, Andreeva gestured toward the stands and seemed to shout profanity, while some spectators booed, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.

Speaking afterward, Andreeva admitted she was disappointed with how she handled the moment.

“I’m not really proud of how I managed it. I’m not really proud of how I handled it in the end,” she said during a press conference.

The match was tightly contested. Andreeva fought back from a 0-3 double-break deficit in the first set to win it 6-4. But momentum shifted during a long second set that lasted 72 minutes, with Siniaková edging the tiebreak.

Frustration became visible when Andreeva smashed her racket during the changeover and asked members of her team, including coach Conchita Martínez, to leave the court.

In the deciding set, Siniaková maintained composure and eventually closed out the match. The Czech player later said she knew the pressure was on the defending champion.

“I knew the pressure was on her. I was trying to enjoy it because I had nothing to lose,” Siniaková told Tennis Channel.

The loss continues a challenging period for Andreeva. Despite winning two WTA 1000 titles last year, she has recently struggled to convert deep runs, reaching multiple quarterfinals but often falling short under pressure.

Still only 18, Andreeva remains one of the sport’s most promising young talents, though her ability to manage expectations in high-pressure matches is increasingly under scrutiny.

News.Az 

By Aysel Mammadzada