The grass courts of the 2025 Berlin Open became the stage for a dramatic unraveling as 18-year-old Russian tennis prodigy Mirra Andreeva suffered a stunning first-round loss to Poland’s Magdalena Frech on June 16, 2025. The world No. 7, riding high after a stellar clay-court season, was expected to make a strong start on grass, but her 2-6, 7-5, 6-0 defeat was marred by a moment of frustration that saw her smash a ball into the crowd, reigniting debates about her emotional control. The incident, captured on video and widely shared online, has drawn sharp criticism from fans and pundits, casting a shadow over Andreeva’s promising career as she heads into the Wimbledon buildup.
Andreeva, coached by former Wimbledon champion Conchita Martinez, started the match with confidence, clinching the first set 6-2 with an audacious backhand slice dropshot. However, the tide turned when Frech, ranked No. 25, broke Andreeva’s serve early in the second set. Visibly rattled, Andreeva’s composure crumbled as she sent a ball soaring out of the court in a fit of anger, prompting a code violation warning from the umpire. “This tendency of getting frustrated when things start getting tough and then letting it affect her play is getting concerning,” one observer noted on social media, echoing sentiments of fans who labeled her actions “unsportsmanlike” and called for stricter penalties. The Pole capitalized on Andreeva’s unraveling, leveling the match at 7-5 and delivering a crushing 6-0 “bagel” in the third set, marking the first time Andreeva has been shut out in a deciding set as a professional.
This outburst is not an isolated incident for the young Russian, whose fiery temperament has surfaced before. In 2023, she hit a ball into the crowd during a French Open loss to Coco Gauff and was penalized at Wimbledon for slamming her racket against Madison Keys. Earlier in 2025, Andreeva’s Indian Wells final against Aryna Sabalenka saw her launch a ball toward the stands, drawing criticism from former player Rennae Stubbs, who called it “brat-like” behavior. At Roland Garros just weeks ago, she received a code violation for similar actions during a quarterfinal upset by French wildcard Loïs Boisson. “Again??!! She seems to be doing this every other tournament. Girl, you need to calm down,” one fan posted online, while another warned, “Players should be getting disqualified for ball abuse. IMO if they hit it straight into the crowd like that, it’s a safety risk.”
Despite her struggles, Andreeva showed maturity in her post-match reflections at Roland Garros, a sentiment she may echo after Berlin. “I was not really happy with some points and some shots and decisions I made today on the court,” she said after her Paris loss, adding, “I think that I can learn from this. I will do everything that I can to maybe not do it the next time I play a big match like this.” Her work with a sports psychologist has helped her channel pressure into motivation, as she admitted earlier this year: “It’s easier for me to think that these people say this because they are probably scared of my style of play. It helps me step onto the court with some anger, not to prove to everyone that I can really do it, but to prove to myself that I am strong enough.”
Andreeva’s 2025 season has been a breakout, with WTA 1000 titles in Dubai and Indian Wells, where she upset Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek. Yet, her 60% win rate on grass—compared to 75.51% on hard courts and 79.78% on clay—highlights her struggles on the surface. Frech, reflecting on the win, praised Andreeva’s tenacity: “Mirra, she’s a great fighter, she’s playing really great tennis. So yeah, I knew from the beginning that it’s going to be a very tough match.” As Andreeva prepares for the Bad Homburg Open, where she’s seeded third, the tennis world watches to see if she can tame her emotions and harness her undeniable talent to conquer grass and silence her critics.
it’s not the first time she’s behaved the way she shouldn’t….. i get that she’s young and was angry but c’mon learn how to control your emotions https://t.co/6iKHu3Ad8Z pic.twitter.com/k5piYvTKAy
— Lisa 🧚🏻♀️ (@lisa_talking_) June 16, 2025
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