"I do not like to see that" - Mirra Andreeva criticized by Rennae Stubbs for her actions during Indian Wells final against Aryna Sabalenka

Although Mirra Andreeva has been the darling of the tennis community for the past few weeks, the Russian received some flack from former player Rennae Stubbs following her title triumph at Indian Wells.

Andreeva fought back from a set down to defeat World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka, capping off an incredible run that saw her win two consecutive WTA 1000 titles. Andreeva had previously triumphed in Dubai two weeks prior, and is currently the hottest player on tour at the moment.

Read also

Jannik Sinner announces shock split from long-time agent and management group

Stubbs disapproves of Andreeva's antics during the final

Despite eventually winning the final on Sunday, Andreeva seemed out of sorts during the first set. The 17-year old expressed her frustration after dropping the opening set by hitting the ball into the crowd. This act led Stubbs to address the issue on the latest episode of her podcast.

"In the finals I have to say I was so impressed with Mirra’s ability to not crumble after losing the first set,” said Stubbs. “We saw her get p***** off. We saw her hit that ball out of the crowd and she said ‘I am really sorry about how I acted’, as you would probably say, I think she said in the ceremony, I would call that being a brat.
"I do not like to see that. I do not like to see balls hit out like that. I do not like to see the way Iga [hit the ball], who also said sorry. And this is coming from who had a pretty good temper on the court but I was not a real ball hitter out the court. I was more of a self sabotager.
“This hitting balls out the stadium has got to stop. The tennis administration needs to make some blanket rules that if you hit balls into the crowd or out of the stadium, or something like that, you lose a game or you lose something enormous. Maybe not a walkover immediately but a really big fine or something. Because that’s the only way to stop it. There’s too much ambiguity."

Read also

Tournament Centre WTA Miami Open 2025: Schedule, Draw, Results, Prize Money and TV Guide

Nonetheless, Andreeva did apologize for losing her cool during the trophy presentation after the match, and will look to make it a hat-trick of WTA 1000 titles when she competes at the Miami Open.

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Unlock your ultimate tennis experience—subscribe today for exclusive access to top stories.

Subscribe