Anastasia Potapova responds to ‘bye bye’ gesture controversy at US Open

Anastasia Potapova has spoken out regarding the controversy over her "bye bye" gesture following her win over Amanda Anisimova at the US Open. The 25-year-old, born in Russia but representing Austria, defeated the 10th-seeded American in straight sets on Saturday to advance to the fourth round. The incident occurred after their match when Potapova was seen waving towards the stands, leading many to believe she was making a sarcastic "bye bye" to Anisimova.

However, Potapova clarified on Instagram that her wave was directed at a friend cheering her on from the stands. She expressed frustration with the online speculation, stating that people should "ease up" and not make a big deal out of it. Despite the controversy, Potapova's performance against Anisimova was commendable. She broke the American early in the first set and maintained her advantage throughout the match, securing a 6-2, 6-2 victory.

This win marks Potapova's best Grand Slam performance to date, as she advances to play fifth seed Mirra Andreeva in the next round.