American WTA Legend Recounts Serena Williams’ French Open Breakdown After Mirra Andreeva Chaos Rages Paris

Mirra Andreeva’s French Open campaign ended in dramatic fashion after a turbulent second set saw her lose both control and the match. The 17-year-old Russian, once seen as a strong contender at Roland Garros, suffered a stunning defeat to world No. 361 Lois Boisson, but it was her on-court meltdown that grabbed headlines.

After dropping the first set, Andreeva looked poised for a comeback with a 3-0 lead in the second. But things unraveled quickly. Boisson clawed her way back into the match, winning three games in a row and gaining momentum. When Andreeva made an unforced error at 30-0 in the seventh game, frustration got the better of her. In a moment of anger, she smashed a ball into the stands—a move that drew boos from the crowd and earned her a code violation from the umpire.

The situation quickly spiraled. As the crowd voiced their displeasure, Mirra Andreeva fired back, telling them to “shut up.” Overwhelmed and visibly emotional, she burst into tears and asked her mother, Raisa to leave the player’s box. Her composure was gone, and so were her chances of winning her first Grand Slam title.

But the drama didn’t stop there. Later in the match, Boisson paused to challenge a line call, and Hawk-Eye confirmed the ball was out, overturning the original decision. Mirra Andreeva disagreed, insisting her shot had landed on the line. She was wrong, but the call only fueled her frustration, leading to another heated exchange with the umpire.

Tennis legend Pam Shriver weighed in on the unfolding drama, drawing parallels with past iconic meltdowns on the French Open stage. On X, she wrote: “Loss of composure by young player @rolandgarros see Hingis 1999 final. Crowd booing a player late in women’s championship see Serena vs Henin 2003 semis.”

Loss of composure by young player @rolandgarros see Hingis 1999 final. Crowd booing a player late in women’s championship see Serena vs Henin 2003 semis.

— Pam Shriver (@PHShriver) June 4, 2025

Shriver’s comparison brought to mind the infamous 1999 Roland Garros final, where Martina Hingis—then the world No. 1—imploded in front of a hostile French crowd. Hingis had taken the first set against Steffi Graf and was up 2-0 in the second when a disputed line call led to chaos. She crossed the net to argue, pointed at a ball mark on Graf’s side, and refused to continue until the tournament referee intervened. The crowd erupted in boos and chants of “Steffi!”, and the pressure proved too much—Hingis lost her grip on the match and the title.

Then there was the 2003 semifinal between Serena Williams and Justine Henin, another Roland Garros clash marred by crowd hostility. The match, expected to be a showcase of elite tennis, devolved into controversy as Williams faced jeers between serves and cheers for her errors. The crowd made their support for Henin clear, and the atmosphere took a toll on the American, who eventually lost in three tough sets.

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