“What Were They Thinking?” — Cincinnati Open Sparks Outrage After Posting a Bizarre “Obituary” for Mirra Andreeva, Leaving Tennis Fans Stunned, Confused and Furious Over the Unusual Tribute
The Cincinnati Open has sparked a bizarre social media controversy after posting an image of Mirra Andreeva that fans said looked more like a memorial tribute than a normal tennis graphic.
The problem wasn’t primarily the wording accompanying the post. It was the picture itself
Andreeva was shown faded into a cloudy background while playing tennis, creating an unmistakably heavenly appearance that immediately reminded fans of the type of image often used in obituaries or memorial posts.
Considering Andreeva is a healthy 19-year-old competing at the highest level of women’s tennis, the strange design quickly attracted attention for all the wrong reasons.
Fans couldn’t believe Cincinnati Open graphic
Tennis supporters immediately began reacting to the visual, with several admitting the graphic initially made them fear something terrible had happened to Andreeva.
The combination of clouds, faded imagery and the Russian player’s almost translucent appearance gave the post a dramatically different meaning from what tournament organizers presumably intended.
One fan simply described the image as looking like an “obituary,” while others joked about Andreeva appearing to be playing tennis in heaven.
The reaction spread rapidly because there was nothing about Andreeva’s actual situation that warranted such a somber presentation.
Andreeva remains one of tennis’ biggest young stars
Andreeva’s Cincinnati Open campaign had beaten Tjen and will now play Marta Kostyuk.
The Russian has established herself as one of the brightest young players on the WTA Tour, with her rapid rise making her a major attraction at tournaments around the world.
Presenting a living teenage athlete as a faded figure surrounded by clouds inevitably created associations that organizers surely hadn’t intended
