Andreyeva’s notebook tactics failed leading to a shocking upset, losing control and hitting her leg exposed emotional regulation issues

In the third round of the US Open women’s singles, American Townsend, backed by a supportive home crowd, beat the 5th seed Andreyeva 7-5, 6-2, creating the biggest surprise since the start of the tournament and advancing to the Grand Slam round of 16 for the first time in six years.

It is widely recognized that Andreyeva carries a special notebook detailing all her opponents’ weaknesses and tailored tactics. During the break in yesterday’s match, she took out the notebook again to study it carefully, but the “secret manual” did not bring the desired effect.

Reportedly, Andreyeva’s notebook is filled with self-imposed reminders such as “Must exert force!” and “Increase aggression!” which instead added to her psychological pressure.

Tennis psychologist Zhang Xin commented during the broadcast: “Andreyeva’s notes focus heavily on outcome-driven demands, whereas Townsend’s notebook emphasizes process-oriented, specific execution strategies. This highlights the fundamental difference between professional and young players.”

Interestingly, Townsend also has a remarkable notebook, and after reviewing it during the match, she performed even better. Both have notebooks, so what makes the difference?

Townsend revealed after the match: “My notebook records opponents’ habitual patterns and key point tendencies, as well as reminders for me to stay calm.” Her coaching team studied video footage of Andreyeva’s last five matches in advance and analyzed 78 break-point scenarios, which helped her remain rational and composed on court.

Besides the failure of notebook tactics, Andreyeva’s emotional management problems became a focal point again. After losing her serve in the 11th game, she suddenly struck her own thigh fiercely with her racket multiple times, with the audience clearly hearing the dull thuds of the racket hitting flesh.

TV replays showed a visible red mark instantly appearing on her left thigh, and this behavior quickly sparked heated discussions on social media.

“It looks painful!” commented a netizen named ‘Tennis Observer’. “She’s only 18, she shouldn’t treat herself like that.” Another fan wrote, “This scene reminds me of early Djokovic; a gifted player needs to learn how to handle their emotions.”

After the match, Andreyeva’s team stated that this was her way of releasing pressure but acknowledged the need to find healthier emotional management methods.

Eighteen-year-old Andreyeva has already been hailed as a new generation prodigy, with impressive Grand Slam results: round of 16 at the Australian Open, quarterfinals at the French Open and Wimbledon, and considered one of the favorites before the US Open. However, this early upset at the US Open exposed her biggest current challenge — her mental state. In her loss to Bouzas at the French Open this year, she also showed severe emotional stress; this serious emotional issue persisted during the grass-court warm-ups, becoming the greatest obstacle to her breakthrough.

Former tennis star Mary Carrillo commented during the broadcast: “Andreyeva possesses world-class shot-making ability, but today Townsend demonstrated how experience and tactical intelligence can overcome pure talent. Beyond that, Townsend has stronger mental resilience. While home crowd support helps, sometimes it adds pressure rather than motivation, but she managed it well, whereas Andreyeva has been struggling with her emotions throughout.”

Renowned coach Gilbert said on ESPN: “Andreyeva needs to learn to control her emotions under adversity; almost all great players go through this phase. She now has almost no home advantage, and Russian players competing on neutral courts will become the norm, so she must develop stronger psychological adjustment skills.”

Regarding this defeat, Andreyeva tearfully admitted at the post-match press conference: “I still have a lot to learn, especially how to stay calm.” Off court, her team has already started contacting sports psychologists and plans specialized mental training during the off-season. Can Andreyeva overcome this mental hurdle? Let’s wait and see!(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Lu Xiaotian)