The number one ranked female tennis player Iga Świątek begged French Open fans to stop shouting during points after she defeated Naomi Osaka on Wednesday in a tense second round match.
Świątek Begs Crowd
Świątek, who hails from Poland and is the defending French Open champion, saved a match point before she managed to defeat Osaka by a score of 7-6 (7-1) 1-6 7-5. Afterwards, she had some terse words for the crowd as she accused them of distracting her during points.
“I have huge respect for you guys and I know that we are playing basically for you because this is entertainment and we are also earning money because of you,” Świątek, 23, began in her on-court post-match interview, according to CNN.
“But sometimes [we’re] under a lot of pressure,” she added. “When you scream something during the rally or right before the return, it’s really, really hard to be focused.”
Świątek Doubles Down
This came as a shock to many, as Świątek is known for her calm and reserved demeanor. She wanted the fans to know, however, just how important these matches are to the athletes.
“This is serious for us, we’re fighting our whole lives to be better and better and sometimes it’s just hard to accept that,” she continued. “The stakes are big and there’s lot of money here to win. Losing a few points may change a lot.”
Świątek concluded her rant with one final plea, saying, “Please, guys, if you can support us between the rallies but not during, that would be really, really amazing.”
Check out her plea in the video below.
Świątek is hoping to win a fifth grand slam title and her fourth French Open. She has previously won the French Open in 2020, 2022, and 2023. Should she win this year, she would be the first woman to win three consecutive French Open titles since Justine Henin did so in 2007.
Świątek is set to play her third round match against Marie Bouzkova of the Czech Republic later today.
Related: Naomi Osaka Says Her Tennis Game Is Mentally In A Good Place: ‘I Just Woke Up Very Peaceful’
Other Fan Incident
This isn’t the first time that the French Open crowd has come under fire from players this week.
After his five-set first round victory against Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, the Belgian player David Goffin shockingly claimed that a spectator spat chewing gum at him during the match.
“Soon, there will be smoke bombs, hooligans and fights in the stands,” Goffin lamented. “It’s starting to become ridiculous. Some people are there more to cause trouble than to create an atmosphere.”
Find out more about this in the video below.
French Open Responds
The French Open responded by calling on fans to “show full respect to all players.”
The French Open has also banned alcohol in the stands during matches moving forward.
“Alcohol has been allowed up until now in the stands – but that’s over,” tournament director Amelie Mauresmo, a former number one player herself, told the BBC. Alcohol will still be available on the tournament grounds, however.
Mauresmo added that chair umpires will be stricter in asking for respect “to the players and to the game.”
Related: Unruly Fans Force French Open Officials To Ban Alcohol, Player Says Fan Spit Gum At Him
Emotions are clearly running high at the French Open this year. It will certainly be interesting to see how the tournament turns out as it heads into its second week!
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