Mirra Andreeva’s French Open campaign ended in dramatic fashion after a turbulent second set saw her lose both control and the match. The 18-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. Andreeva’s outburst was fiery enough to make a WTA legend take a trip down memory lane, back to the days when none other than 23-time Grand Slam champ Serena Williams had a meltdown of her own.

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.”

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.

After her heartbreaking loss, Mirra Andreeva took a moment to reflect on the two major opponents she faced in Paris: Lois Boisson and the raucous home crowd.

Mirra Andreeva breaks silence after French Open Meltdown

During her post-match press conference, the Russian addressed the overwhelming support for Lois Boisson. “It’s normal that they would support a French player, so I knew that it’s going to be like this,” Andreeva said. “I think that in the first set, I managed it pretty well. I didn’t really pay attention to that, but obviously, with nerves and with pressure, it became a little harder.”

The match, which ended in a surprising defeat for the sixth seed, saw Mirra Andreeva struggle to keep her composure amid the intense atmosphere. But she made it clear that Boisson earned the victory, praising the Frenchwoman’s game and dismissing the significance of her current ranking. “Now she’s showing that she’s probably a better player than the ranking right now,” Andreeva added.

Boisson, who came into Roland-Garros as the world No. 361, has defied expectations in Paris. Her run to the semifinals has already guaranteed her a career-high ranking of No. 65, and a win over second seed Coco Gauff on Thursday could push her even higher up the WTA ladder. While Lois Boisson basks in the spotlight, Mirra Andreeva will now turn her focus to the grass-court season. She had a rough Wimbledon debut last year, crashing out in the first round against Brenda Fruhvirtova, 6-1, 3-6, 2-6. With a year of experience under her belt, the 18-year-old will be looking to make a stronger impression this time around. Her campaign begins at the Berlin WTA 500 event, which kicks off on June 16. Will she find redemption on the grass?