Mirra Andreeva appeared 'freaked out' after a strange fan interaction during her doubles match at the US Open on Monday, adding another uncomfortable episode to a tournament that has seen several questionable crowd incidents.
The 18-year-old Russian, playing alongside her partner Diana Shnaider, was taking a break on the bench between games when a man courtside began persistently calling out her name.
Footage that has since gone viral showed the fan leaning over the barricade, repeatedly trying to grab Andreeva’s attention.
Eventually, she turned around, only for the man to say something inaudible before grinning and walking away.
Mirra Andreeva appeared 'freaked out' after a strange fan interaction during her doubles match at the US Open on Monday, adding another uncomfortable episode to a tournament that has seen several questionable crowd incidents
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Andreeva’s reaction made it clear she was unsettled, quickly facing forward again with a bemused expression.
Shnaider, equally confused, exchanged glances with her partner before both players broke into nervous laughter at the bizarre exchange.
The clip spread quickly on social media, with one caption summing up the mood: “This was creepy asf… Mirra is freaked out.”
Fortunately, the unsettling moment did not derail their performance.
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Andreeva and Shnaider regained composure and went on to claim a convincing 7-5, 6-2 victory over the experienced pairing of Shuko Aoyama and Wang Yafan to advance in the doubles draw.
The incident comes in the same week that the US Open has been dogged by fan controversies.
Most notably, Polish businessman Piotr Szczerek was caught on camera snatching a cap meant for a young boy after Kamil Majchrzak’s dramatic second-round win.
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this was creepy asf 😭😭😭
— Muhammad Hussain 🇵🇰🇵🇸 (@mirrakina) September 2, 2025
mirra is freaked out 😭 pic.twitter.com/F3rj0018zS
The footage, which showed the child left devastated, sparked widespread outrage.
Szczerek later apologised publicly and returned the cap after being identified online.
Days later, World No 1 Jannik Sinner was forced to deal with his own encounter when a fan tried to open his tennis bag as he interacted with the crowd following a fourth-round victory.
A security guard intervened in time, stopping the man from rifling through the Italian’s belongings, but Sinner’s angry reaction highlighted how close the situation came to escalating.
These repeated episodes raise questions over security and crowd management at Flushing Meadows.
The US Open is famed for its intimate atmosphere on outside courts, where fans are closer to the action than at most tournaments, but this year that closeness has begun to cross worrying boundaries.
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Mirra Andreeva is still adjusting to life on the professional stage
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Andreeva, one of the sport’s most exciting young prospects, is still adjusting to life on the professional stage, and Monday’s incident was a reminder of the challenges that come with fame at such a young age.
While she and Shnaider laughed off the situation, the interaction highlighted the need for organisers to ensure players can feel safe and protected, especially during quieter moments when they are most exposed.
With the stakes rising as the tournament heads towards its closing stages, both players and officials will be hoping the focus returns to tennis — and not the behaviour of overzealous spectators.