Mirra Andreeva in conflict with referee after hawk-eye failure at the Madrid Open.

Mirra Andreeva explodes in fury during tense semifinal at the Madrid Open: controversy with Hawk-Eye dominates the decisive moment

In one of the hottest episodes of the season in women’s tennis, young Mirra Andreeva engaged in a heated argument with umpire Kader Nouni after a Hawk-Eye system failure at a crucial moment in the Madrid Open semifinal on Thursday. The technology, which has been controversial throughout the week in the Spanish capital, reignited tensions, leaving the Russian on the brink of losing her composure.

The incident occurred when the score was tied at 2-2 in the first set. Hailey Baptiste hit a forehand that appeared to be out, but Hawk-Eye indicated that the ball touched inside the line. Stunned, Andreeva promptly approached the umpire to contest the decision. “You know how it works, right? Unfortunately, I got the green light, it is what it is, now we have to continue,” Nouni replied, trying to calm the situation. But Andreeva couldn’t hold back: “Even if you see it’s out, can’t you overturn it? This isn’t even close (to the line), it’s like this (gesturing to show the distance)!”

The umpire maintained his position, stating that he could not contradict the electronic system: “I didn’t see this ball out. I understand you, but I have the green light and I have to follow what it says.” The controversy reignited the debate about the reliability of Hawk-Eye in a tournament where doubts had already arisen, particularly after a disagreement between Elena Rybakina and the umpire.

Despite the turmoil, Andreeva kept her focus and defeated Baptiste 6-4, 7-6(8) in a battle that lasted one hour and 39 minutes. The 18-year-old secured her second final of the season on clay, having previously won the title at the Linz Open.

Andreeva left no doubts on the court: with a powerful serve, she won 20 of the 22 points played on her serve. In the second set, she was leading 5-3, but Baptiste came back, leveling at 5-5 and taking the lead in a tie-break where she was ahead 4-0. However, the Russian’s tenacity shone through — she saved two set points and closed the match with a winning forehand, putting an end to the American’s incredible campaign in Madrid.

After the dramatic victory, Andreeva was visibly emotional and at a loss for words to describe the whirlwind of emotions. “I feel so much adrenaline inside me. I’m still nervous. I’m very happy to have won and to have saved those set points. I really liked how I served. I can’t find the words to describe how I feel right now,” confessed the young tennis prospect.

Now, Andreeva will face the winner of the match between 26th seed Marta Kostyuk and Anastasia Potapova in the final of the Madrid Open. In their head-to-head record, Andreeva lost her only previous meeting against Kostyuk, but she leads the rivalry with Potapova, having won three of the four matches played.

This episode at the Madrid Open not only highlights Mirra Andreeva’s meteoric rise in the WTA circuit but also reignites the discussion about the reliance on and potential failures of electronic systems in professional tennis. A perfect storm that promises even more drama in the final stretch of the tournament.

This article first appeared on Apito Final.