WATCH: Controversial scenes as Iga Swiatek angrily reacts to ball kid's gesture, gets booed during Indian Wells SF loss to Mirra Andreeva
Iga Swiatek couldn't contain her frustration during her loss to Mirra Andreeva in the semifinals of the 2025 BNP Paribas Open. The Pole vented out her anger in a controversial gesture involving a ball kid, which was not well received by the crowd.
Swiatek, who was aiming to win her second consecutive title at Indian Wells, squared off against Andreeva for a spot in the final of the WTA 1000 event. After losing to the Russian teen at the recently concluded Dubai Tennis Championships, the World No. 2 was also looking to avenge her defeat.
However, Mirra Andreeva claimed a 7-6(1), 1-6, 6-3 victory after a thrilling two-hour and 17-minute battle, snapping the five-time Grand Slam champion's 10-match winning streak at Indian Wells to reach the final.
Although Iga Swiatek dominated the second set to force a decider, her frustrations boiled over while trailing in the third set. In a controversial move, the World No. 2 smashed the ball given to her by a ball kid, which earned her boos from the crowd as the ball landed in the stands.
Swiatek's outburst was presumably prompted by her complaints to the chair umpire about the ball kids distracting her by moving around while she waited for Andreeva's serve.
Meanwhile, just days after winning her maiden WTA 1000 title in Dubai, Mirra Andreeva held her nerve to beat Iga Swiatek and advance to the Indian Wells final, where she is guaranteed to meet another Grand Slam champion.
Mirra Andreeva to face Aryna Sabalenka or Madison Keys in Indian Wells final after win over Iga Swiatek
Following her win over Iga Swiatek, Mirra Andreeva will face the winner of the blockbuster match between Aryna Sabalenka and Madison Keys in the 2025 Indian Wells final. Sabalenka and Keys will lock horns in a rematch of this year's Australian Open final, with the World No. 1 aiming to avenge her heartbreaking loss.
Andreeva will face a formidable challenge in the title clash, having lost her sole previous encounter against Keys at the 2023 Wimbledon Championships and only won one of her five tour-level meetings with Sabalenka.
Swiatek, meanwhile, will be back in action at the Miami Open, scheduled to commence on March 18. The Pole, who has previously triumphed at the WTA 1000 event in 2022, will look to deliver a better performance at the tournament after suffering a shock loss to Ekaterina Alexandrova in the fourth round last year.