Trending:
Polish tennis star Iga Świątek was booed during her semifinal match against 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva at the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells for smashing a ball back at a ball boy.
The 2024 French U.S. Open winner, 23, was on a 10-match win streak at the tournament when she hit the court on Friday, March 14, to play the Russian teen breakout. Świątek struggled during the third set, which ultimately ended with her 1-6 loss, and was heard complaining about the ball kids on the court making noise behind her.
In a video of the match that has since garnered millions of views online, Świątek was visibly frustrated at one point when one of the ball boys tossed her a ball. Upon his toss, Świątek swatted her racket and smashed the ball right back at him.
The ball boy then put his hands up and moved out of the way just in time to miss any contact with the ball.
Still, the crowd in California reportedly booed the tennis star before the match continued. It ended with a 7-6 (1), 1-6 and 6-3 victory for Andreeva, who ultimately won the California tournament on March 16. On social media, fans of Świątek called her out for what they deemed poor sportsmanship.
One fan commented on an Instagram post from Świątek, “I think you should apologize to that ball boy and to your fans like me for your behavior in your loss to Andreeva. It is not fitting for such a champion. I hope you can learn to be more graceful in your losses.”
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Another fan commented on a separate Instagram post that the tennis star shared on Sunday, March 16, announcing her next matches in Stuttgart, Germany: “I’m a big fan of yours Iga and I have been for a long time. I know you have the highest expectations and that you are a perfectionist. But I was disappointed with your actions around the ball boy in Indian Wells. I hope you can learn to show more grace when you lose to your opponents and those around you. Keep up the good work.”
Read the full article here
