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Mirra Andreeva’s Indian Wells title defense met a bad-tempered end on Monday in round three as Katerina Siniakova stunned the talented Russian teenager 4-6, 7-6 (7/5), 6-3.
The 18-year-old Andreeva opened her bid to retain her crown with an imperious 6-0, 6-0 demolition of Solana Sierra.
But she was in trouble early and often against 44th-ranked Siniakova in a rollercoaster contest that ended with a shot from the Czech that hit the net cord and dribbled over in one last frustrating moment.
Andreeva slung her racquet as she approached the net before departing the court with a defiant gesture at the crowd.
“I’m not really proud of how I managed it,” said Andreeva, but added her profanities picked up by courtside microphones weren’t directed at the fans.
“It was just anger coming out, just a lot of emotions,” she said. “Not really towards anyone.”
Siniakova, a former doubles No 1, admitted it was an awkward way to seal the win in a match that featured seven service breaks for each player and 43 break chances between them.
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“Of course I’m happy (the ball) went on the other side,” she said. “I was, like, should I cheer? It’s a really tricky finish. But definitely I will not say I’m not happy.”
Siniakova said the swirling winds on Stadium Court were troubling both players.
Andreeva’s emotions had already boiled over when she sailed a swinging volley long to surrender the second set, during which each player had remarks for the chair umpire about her opponent.
She regrouped to break Siniakova for a 3-2 lead in the third, but Siniakova won the next four games, saving two break points in the final game before gaining the win on her first match point.
Siniakova will face Elina Svitolina for a place in the quarterfinals after the ninth-seeded Ukrainian beat American Ashlyn Krueger 6-4, 6-2.
There was no drama for world No 2 Iga Swiatek, who defeated Greece’s Maria Sakkari 6-3, 6-2.
