Fuming Mirra Andreeva, 16, out of Wimbledon as she forfeits point after angrily throwing racquet on court
TEENAGER Mirra Andreeva was docked a point for throwing her racquet on the Wimbledon grass.
And that gifted Madison Keys a match point, which she took to book her spot in the quarter-finals.
Andreeva, 16, had taken Wimbledon by storm as she blasted her way to the fourth round on her debut after coming through qualifying – the youngest star to go that far since Coco Gauff in 2019.
However, emotions got the better of her on Monday as she went out against No25 seed Keys.
Andreeva took the opening set and led 4-1 in the second, with a point for 5-1.
But she was pegged back and lost the second-set tie-break, sending a forehand return long.
When she did, the Russian teen deliberately lobbed her racquet in anger towards her chair.
She was given a code violation warning for unsportsmanlike conduct – with Wimbledon particularly concerned about players damaging the pristine courts.
And then as Andreeva slipped closer to defeat, she appeared to be crying in her chair before coming out at 5-2 down in the decider to serve to stay in the match.
However, after losing the point where she had advantage, Andreeva was in more hot water.
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The youngster slipped as she stretched for the ball and lost her footing before throwing her racquet to the ground.
It was unclear whether it was a deliberate act of frustration or an accident.
However, after announcing the score as “deuce”, the chair umpire then added: “Code violation, unsportsmanlike conduct, point penalty Mirra Andreeva.”
That therefore put Keys advantage up and therefore had match point.
Andreeva was furious with the call and immediately went to the chair to discuss the issue with the umpire.
The courtside microphones picked up Andreeva saying: “I slipped, I slipped, that is the wrong decision.
“Do you understand what you are doing? I didn’t throw the racquet, I slipped. That is the wrong decision. I slid and then I fell.”
But umpire Louise Azemar Engzell disagreed and motioned to show Andreeva had deliberately whacked her racquet down into the turf.
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Jo Drurie said on commentary: “It’s a good argument, she did slip but she did also throw the racquet.”
There was more drama on match point when Andreeva thought she had saved it with a big serve down the T, but Keys challenged and it was well out.
And Keys pounced on the second serve to complete a thrilling win over the 16-year-old qualifier – before Andreeva refused to shake the umpire’s hand.
Nine-time Wimbledon doubles champion Todd Woodbridge told the BBC: “I don’t think that warranted a warning and a point penalty. It was 50-50.
“She needs to act like she isn’t in the juniors.
“She is in the spotlight and she needs to learn to remember that.”
And fans on social media were split on whether it was the right call or not.
One said: “I’ve seen worse not been punished, slipped and threw the racquet in same motion at a very important point. Young girl and fighting to stay in the tournament. Very very quick to penalise, leeway and common sense don’t always prevail.”
Another wrote: “All the one movement as she was about to turn her ankle. Very harsh umpiring in my honest opinion.”
But a third added: “Thrown it, arm came down with force. Then tried to style it out.”
And a final user commented: “I’m going to side with the umpire on this one.”
Andreeva had hit the headlines with her phenomenal run – and won many over with her admiration for Andy Murray.
She repeatedly punched herself in the thigh after failing to get a break of serve in her third-round match on Sunday – before bursting into tears upon completing her historic win.
And although she is certainly a major talent already on the ladies’ tennis circuit, the Siberia-born star knows she will need to avoid getting in trouble with referees.