“Do you understand what you are doing?” Andreeva collapsed due to the actions of the judge at the decisive moment
Sofia Kolodkina July 10, 2023, 16:50 Moscow time Audio version: Your browser does not support the audio element.
Mirra lost a point and gave Madison Keys a match point in game three.
The 16-year-old Russian star, Mirra Andreeva, left the Wimbledon courts in the fourth round, losing in a fantastic three sets to the American Madison Keys. As, by the way, in 2003, Maria Sharapova, the future five-time TBS champion, stumbled at the same stage – she lost to her compatriot Svetlana Kuznetsova, also in three sets.
Definitely, the American, seeded under number 18, was the favorite, but the start of the match failed completely. Halfway through the second game, it all seemed over for her: Mirra led with a set advantage and a break, but at 1:4, Keys woke up and brought the second game to a tiebreaker. In experience and composure, she closed it out with a score of 7:6 (7:4). In a fit of emotions, as happens even with experienced tennis players, Andreeva waved her racket on the grass and received the referee’s first warning: in tennis it’s verbal. Subsequent violations are punished much more severely, which, of course, many people forget. And this moment came back to haunt the 16-year-old Russian at the end of the match.
Due to emotional devastation, Mirra missed the start of the third set: Keys broke, defended her serve and went ahead – 4:1. Andreeva was able to return the break, but the help of the net and the American’s serenity on the pitch played her role.
myrrh andreeva
Photo: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images
Calling for the match, Keys missed again: the Russian woman had two break points and could have stayed in the match for at least one more game, but she failed to convert her chances and then gave her opponent a point.
At 2:5 and “more” with the service of Mirra, there was a long rally with access to the net of Kis. The American hit sharply in the left corner, but Andreeva did not have time to get to the ball, she slipped and dropped her racket on the grass at high speed. The referee immediately awarded a penalty point for allegedly throwing a racket onto the court, as Mirra had already received a verbal warning.
The Russian woman tried to argue with the judge that she did not break the racket, but slipped and fell – her supporting leg came off and dropped the racket. She and even she said to the emperor: “Do you understand what you are doing? I didn’t drop my racket, I slipped and then I just dropped it.”
Perhaps, due to the peculiarities of the grass courts of the London TBSH, any decision is interpreted much more strictly than in the same hard or clay slam. This is due to the centuries-old traditions that local caciques honor so much, and also to the special care of such capricious coating. Therefore, any such action, such as hitting a racket on a court, is immediately punishable. It doesn’t matter if it was intentional or on purpose.
myrrh andreeva
Photo: Screen
And, as you know, the judges do not have video challenges for this, as well as the practice of overturning their own decisions during the meeting. Then Mirra lost a point and Keys took advantage of the situation and led the match to victory. Already behind the scenes, Andreeva did not shake hands with the judge after the loss at Wimbledon and she quickly left the court. “I would be lying if I said that I don’t feel pressured. I knew she was a great player, but I didn’t want to be the one to lose to her in the match for her first quarterfinal entry,” Madison Keys said on court.
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