16-year-old Mirra Andreeva was touted to pull of a Coco Gauff at the Wimbledon as she stood a set away from becoming the youngest female player to reach the quarter-finals since Anna Kournikova back in 1997. The Russian teen sensation, who has been a revelation on WTA tour for over a last few months, was on the verge of scripting an upset against 2023 Eastbourne International winner Madison Keys before a moment of meltdown on Court 2 early in Monday evening saw Andreeva suffer a heartbreaking loss. (Wimbledon 2023 Day 8 Live Updates)
Andreeva did not just win the opening set 6-3. She continued her sublime form to take a 4-1 lead in the second set to stand inches away from a quarterfinal berth at the Wimbledon. But the experienced Keys rallied from behind to break back, winning three straight games, and then win the second set tie-breaker as well. And all went downhill for the Russian thereafter.
At the end of the second set, Andreeva was given a warning by umpire Julie Kjendlie for throwing her racket across the grass. But at towards the end of the final set, when she was 2-5 down, she was handed a penalty for ‘code violation and unsportsmanlike conduct’ on a controversial call from the umpire.
While playing a return, Andreeva had slipped and the racket fell out of his hand. But the umpire felt that it was an act of frustration and hence handed her the penalty, which subsequently set up match points for Keys.
Andreeva immediately walked up to the umpire to argue her case saying, “Do you understand what you are doing? I didn’t throw the racket. I slid. It’s the wrong decision. I slid and then I fell.” But the decision stood and Keys won on the next point to clinch a 3-6 7-6 (4) 6-2 victory.
After the match, Andreeva walked up to the net to shake hands with Keys, but walked right past the umpire’s chair, without shaking hands with Kjendlie.
Madison Keys back after eight years
For the first time since 2015 and only second time in her career, the 25th seed has managed to return to the quarterfinals at the SW19. And while she was knocked out in that round eight years back, Keys, who will be up against either world No 2 Aryna Sabalenka or Ekaterina Alexandrova, will look to better her performance.
Speaking after the victory, she said: “Coming out here, you know that she’s obviously a great player but you don’t want to be the person that loses to her for her to get to her first quarter.”
“It’s absolutely amazing. Obviously my quarter-final run all those years ago was amazing and I’ve fallen short a few times and it’s so great to be back in the quarter-finals here at Wimbledon.”
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