Russian 16-year-old Mirra Andreeva is out of Wimbledon after her impressive run in the tournament, losing to American Madison Keys.
The qualifier was docked a point for throwing her racquet, a situation critics have described controversial.
Andreeva had earlier been warned for hurling her racquet following her second set loss. She later received a point penalty that handed Keys match point in their fourth-round encounter.
The Russian saved that point but went on to lose 3-6 7-6 (7-4) 6-2.
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“I didn’t throw the racquet, I slid,” she protested to the umpire.
She however left the court without shaking hands with umpire Julie Kjendlie.
Andreeva had previously impressed fans by her superlative performances in the Grand Slam tournament.
She had been two games from a win in the second set before 28-year-old Keys made up for her errors to take it to a tie-break, which she won.
Andreeva, who hit her leg out of frustration repeatedly in a previous match, could not hide her emotions again.
She was clearly displeased at missing out on a great chance – having led 4-1 against Keys in the second set – and threw her racquet towards her bag.
The teenager later seemed to throw it again when Keys had brought up deuce at 5-2 in the third set. This earned her a second warning and an automatic point penalty, which gave the American match point.
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Andreeva says she “didn’t throw the racquet”
The Russian then walked to the umpire, pleading: “Do you understand what you are doing? I didn’t throw the racquet. I slid. It’s the wrong decision. I slid and then I fell.” However, the umpire’s decision stood.
Andreeva was looking to become the youngest player since Anna Kournikova (in 1997) to make the Wimbledon quarter-finals.
Meanwhile, Andreeva’s opponent Keys advanced into her second Wimbledon quarter-final, having previously made the last eight in 2015. The 25th seed now face either Ekaterina Alexandrova or Belarusian second seed Aryna Sabalenka in the quarter-final.
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