Mirra Andreeva has once again found herself at the center of controversy, this time, for launching a ball into the crowd during a first-round collapse at the 2025 Berlin Tennis Open on Monday. After starting strong and taking the first set, the 18-year-old’s frustration boiled over early in the second, drawing criticism from fans and reigniting concerns over her emotional volatility on court.
Mirra Andreeva’s Angry Act Mars Promising Start in Berlin
Andreeva, seeded sixth at the WTA 500 event, looked poised for a deep run after cruising through the opening set 6-2 against Poland’s Magdalena Fręch. But things unraveled quickly when Fręch broke serve to start the second.
MORE: WATCH: Mirra Andreeva Angrily Hits the Ball Into Crowd After Frustration Mounts in Berlin Defeat
The Russian responded to this service break by launching a ball into the stands, which not only shifted the momentum of the match but sparked a fresh wave of backlash from tennis fans online. She would go on to lose 6-2, 5-7, 0-6 in a turnaround that left spectators more focused on her attitude than her performance.
Massive point for Frech! #BTO #Berlin pic.twitter.com/mRn4pQ107S
— Berlin Tennis Open (@berlin_tennis) June 16, 2025
This isn’t new territory for Andreeva, who has developed a reputation for emotional outbursts under pressure. In her breakout 2023 season, she hit a ball into the crowd during a tense third-round loss to Coco Gauff at the French Open. A few weeks later at Wimbledon, she drew a point penalty in the fourth round against Madison Keys after twice slamming her racket.
In March, during the final at Indian Wells against Aryna Sabalenka, Andreeva again hit a ball toward the stands. Just weeks ago at Roland Garros, she was slapped with a code violation for ball abuse and got into a heated exchange with the chair umpire during her quarterfinal clash with French Wild Card Loïs Boisson. With each incident, concerns about her temperament have only grown louder.
The Berlin outburst was caught on video, which was shared on X, with fans voicing a mix of disappointment and concern. One X user wrote, “I mean, this is bad in general, but why are we getting this frustrated when you won the opening set 6-2 and you’ve simply just gone down a break in the first game of the 2nd? It makes no sense. Like I said earlier, this has become a trend in some of her losses lately.”
I mean this is bad in general but why are we getting this frustrated when you won the opening set 6-2 and you’ve simply just gone down a break in the first game of the 2nd, makes no sense.
Like I said earlier, this has become a trend in some of her losses lately. https://t.co/ZHTtJWHQ3Z
— Tennis Updates (@TennisUpdates25) June 16, 2025
Another fan said, “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.”
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
Others were less forgiving. “Again??!! She seems to be doing this every other tournament. Girl, you need to calm down,” one tennis fan wrote. While another said, “I used to really like Mirra, but her recent tantrums on court have been unacceptable. At the rate she’s going, an ‘accident’ is likely to happen sooner or later.”
More criticism poured in, with one bluntly labeling her actions as “spoiled brat behavior,” and calling for accountability: “It’s key now to not let this turn into a pattern. Time to start taking responsibility like Conchita said!”
Another fan called for stricter penalties, and said, “Players should be getting disqualified for ball abuse. IMO if they hit it straight into the crowd like that, it’s a safety risk.”
Fans’ Reactions Highlight Growing Frustration With Andreeva’s Behavior
Several netizens pointed out that this behavior could be hurting the Russian’s own game. “For real, she should stop. Stuff like this is what’s distracting her during the match,” one user said, while another lamented, “She does this every single match when she’s losing, and that’s not an exaggeration. It really needs to stop. I don’t know why people excuse this behavior. It’s not okay. Someone in her team needs to get her to stop before someone gets hurt.”
One fan even suggested seeking help beyond tennis: “It seems she has a hard time coping with the game. She needs outside-of-tennis help.”
Andreeva, meanwhile, remains active in doubles alongside her partner Diana Shnaider. The third-seeded Russian pair will face Tímea Babos and Luisa Stefani in the opening round on Wednesday.
