Iga Swiatek smashed the ball in the direction of a ball kid during a moment of frustration and the Indian Wells crowd didn't appreciate that at all, booing the five-time Grand Slam champion.
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After losing a tight first set but then dominantly winning the second set to force a decider, the defending champion failed to convert a game point in the first game of the third set after spraying a double fault and she ended up getting broken right at the start.
Then as Andreeva's lead was increasing, Swiatek did something unusual for her.
Before the incident, the Polish tennis star complained to the chair umpire about the movement of the ball kids. Presumably, it may have played a role in the 23-year-old's outburst.
Swiatek picks up back-to-back losses to Andreeva
After opening a 4-1 double-break lead in the third set of their Indian Wells semifinal, the 17-year-old lost the next two games. But just when it seemed that there might be an opening for the No. 2 seed, the Russian responded by winning the next two games and putting a curtain on the match.
In her last tournament before Indian Wells, Swiatek also saw her Dubai campaign end in the quarterfinal with a defeat to Andreeva. And after falling short to the world No. 11 again, the Pole gave credit to the teenage star.
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She definitely played better and probably braver in key moments. Of course, I remember a few shots I could have played better, but overall, I think it was a high-level match. The wind played a big roleat times, it was hard to get out of difficult situations when she was hitting big with the wind, while I was playing against it," Swiatek said on Canal+ Sport following her defeat.
