French Open champion Mirra Andreeva chucked her racquet across the court in disgust after she was knocked out in the second round at Wimbledon by 2024 champion Barbora Krejcikova.
Last month the talented 19-year-old claim her first Grand Slam title but she was unable to hit the ground running with a deep run in SW19 after being taken to three sets by the Czech star in an eventual 6-4, 7-5, 6-4 defeat.
A star on the rise since breaking through on the professional tour in 2024, Andreeva has at times struggled to keep a lid on her combustible temper, most recently smashing her racquet to pieces during her three-set defeat while defending her Indian Wells title in March.
After defeat on Centre Court, Andreeva followed up her racquet-flinging by telling her box ‘I quit’, but was professional at the net as she congratulated Krejcikova and accepted some consoling words from the 30-year-old.
Racquet abuse, particularly on the pristine first-week turf of Centre Court, can carry a considerable fine, with Novak Djokovic handed a £6,117 penalty in 2023 after smashing his racquet against the net post.
Wimbledon have been contacted for comment.
Mirra Andreeva flung her racquet across the court after she was knocked out of Wimbledon
In troubling scenes, the 19-year-old also smacked herself in the head with her racquet on a frustrating afternoon
Andreeva had cut a frustrated figure during the later stages of the match, and was further unsettled in the third set when a bracelet she was wearing snapped, spilling beads across the surface of the court.
She was then helped by members of the grounds staff to pick the beads up, and was given a hindrance call.
The teenager also spent sections of the match yelling at her coach Conchita Martinez in her player box, and in more troubling scenes, even hit herself over the head with her racquet as she vented her spleen.
In her press conference after the match, Andreeva was overcome with tears as she admitted that she would ‘need a couple of days’ to reflect.
‘Sorry,’ she said, after composing herself. ‘Yeah, it’s going to take some time, maybe a couple of days, and then I’m going to be back to practice for hard courts.
‘I don’t know what my next tournaments are going to be. I still need to talk to my team to see where I’m going to play next.’
After she was beaten in Indian Wells, she told the crowd ‘f*** you all’ in an uncontrollable outburst, but often, her temper turns in on herself.
Andreeva emotionally told herself, ‘I’m not a champion. I’m not a champion. I will lose. I will lose,’ during her Madrid Open match against Anna Bondar – but fought back to claim the hard-won victory in three tight sets.
Krejcikova’s post-Wimbledon-win career has been speckled with injury issues, most recently forcing her to concede the Libema Open title at ‘s-Hertogenbosch after withdrawing with a respiratory illness.
‘It’s definitely special (winning today),’ the Czech star said during her on-court interview. ‘I have been through a lot with injuries and my personal life.
‘The last couple months were really hard to get through with the emotions of what has happened.
‘But, I put lots of work and dedication in every single day. I try to go day by day. Thank you to my team in the box and everyone who stays back in Czech Republic.’
