Bianca Andreescu had to fight more than just her opponent in the opening match at the 2023 Citi Open in Washington.
Competing at the only combined ATP & WTA 500 tournament gave the young Canadian a chance to finally get to the champion's trophy, but once again, her run was cut short, this time also because of an annoying fan.
In one of the first-round matches, the drama unfolded on the blue hard courts of the Rock Creek Park Tennis Center, home to the 2023 Citi Open. Andreescu, who was one of the wild card entrants, found herself in an unexpected contest, but the match wasn't just against her opponent Kostyuk, but also against an unruly spectator, who seemed bent on derailing her performance.
The match began routinely, with both athletes showcasing their qualities, battling it out for every single point. But as the game proceeded, a distinctive voice rang out from the spectators, distinctively out of sync with the collective gasps and cheers.
A certain fan seemed to derive a perverse pleasure from cheering at Andreescu's missed serves. The cheers turned into blatant disruptions as the man started declaring 'Out' following Andreescu's unsuccessful attempts, a prerogative solely reserved for the line judges, which weren't present in this case as the tournament uses live electronic line calling.
In the third set of the match, after Andreescu won the opening set 6-2 and lost the following 3-6, the Canadian was serving at 2-2, and at 0-15, she hit a double fault, which was called out by the electronic line calling system, and subsequently, another 'out' was head, this time from the spectator.
In an environment where mental fortitude is as significant as physical agility, the relentless disturbance rattled Andreescu. The Canadian shouted 'shut up' and demanded the fan removed from the stadium. Her call was a stark reminder that while athletes are indeed public figures, their professional space deserves as much respect as any other work environment.
Sadly, despite her bold stand, the day did not end in Andreescu's favor. In a tense match, filled with brilliant rallies and nerve-racking break points, Kostyuk emerged victorious in a third-set tie-break, winning 2-6, 6-3, 7-6(5). Andreescu had held three match points, only to lose them all.
Despite a disappointing exit at the 2023 Citi Open, Andreescu can look ahead. Thanks to her popularity, she received a wild card for the home Canadian Open in Montreal, but also the 2023 Cincinnati Masters, giving her a chance to improve her ranking ahead of the 2023 US Open.
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