Google News
Mirra Andreeva attacked the chair umpire after her match loss to Madisin Keys at the Wimbledon 2023 4th round. A controversial episode characterized the last game of the match between the two tennis players. The very young Russian player slipped on 40-40, and she let go of the racket in a way that was anything but accentuated.
The chair umpire decided to award her the second warning and the consequent penalty point, which sent Keys to match point at 5-2. Match point exploited thanks to an excellent descent to the net. Andreeva timidly protested, but she was unable to convince the referee.
At the end of the challenge, the 16-year-old did not shake the chair umpire's hand.
Andreeva's words
At the press conference, Andreeva explained the missed handshake: "It's a moot point for me. She was the chair umpire and she makes the decisions.
I had no intention of throwing the racket, honestly. I slipped, maybe she misinterpreted my gesture. I don't know, I haven't seen any videos yet. She made her own decision; now the game is over. She didn't make the right decision in my opinion, that's why I didn't shake her hand.
I think things are going better from an emotion control standpoint. I didn't do anything specific. I've talked to myself about everything. I only think about the game when I'm on the court." However, Andreeva can be considered quite satisfied with her path at Wimbledon: "For me it was an extraordinary experience.
I played some incredible matches here. It was the first time on the grass. I'm happy with my result, but at the same time I'm also sad and a little disappointed. I hope to do better next year. There are many positives to consider.
I didn't expect to go all this way to Wimbledon, because I didn't have any experience on grass. I passed the qualifying tournament, this gave me a lot of confidence. It was definitely a good experience for me. We'll see if I can do better in 2024."