The verbal volleys are getting as heated as the ones on the court at the US Open. The last of the yearly Grand Slams, the Open is the only Slam on American soil and is played in Queens, New York. While there are high-profile rich people that attend, like Barack Obama and his wife, the tournament also draws everyday New Yorkers out to watch the matches.
Naturally, when you get a stadium full of New Yorkers, sometimes things can get a little rowdy. Whether it is Yankee Stadium, Citi Field, the home of the Mets, or Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens, New Yorkers can make it tough on opposing players and fans.
While tennis is supposed to be a sport that puts a high emphasis on class and decorum, it doesn’t always work out that way, especially in 2023. However, this isn’t strictly an American issue. In Europe and Australia, fans can be boorish, and there have been numerous incidents in recent years of protesters interrupting matches. At least that is something that doesn’t happen at the US Open.
It didn’t take long for the August heat to flare tempers this year at the Open. During American Coco Gauff’s first-round match with German Laura Siegemund, Gauff ripped into the chair umpire for allowing the German excessive time between points. Gauff even snubbed the chair for the post-match handshake.
While some say that was a classless move by Gauff, she had a legitimate complaint, and the German violated the serve timer numerous times while only being penalized once. American fans apparently thought Siegmund was intentionally slowing play as a strategy, and they let her know it during the match.
This didn’t sit well with the 35-year-old player, and post-match, she let her feelings be known by launching a savage criticism of American fans. She said: “I am very, very disappointed of the way the people treated me today. I think I’m a fighter. I never did anything against the audience. I stayed calm. I never made, not even a gesture against the audience. And they had no respect for me,”
Siegemund roundly criticized the home fans, who weren’t appreciative of her glacial pace on the court. However, unlike some sports where fans in attendance don’t always understand the sport being played, tennis fans are a bit more knowledgeable, as a large percentage of even casual fans still play the game themselves on a regular basis. In short, tennis fans know what they are seeing.
Siegmund continued her assault: “There is no doubt that I am slow. There is no doubt about that. I’m getting time violations. There is no doubt about that I should be quicker, but at the same time, it’s how I play. I’m very slow. I do it for me, I don’t do it against the other one. Clapping when you miss the first serve, those kinds of things, I have no understanding for it.”
Siegmund can maintain all she wants that being slow is just how she plays, but the “serve clock” that tennis now uses is a rule, and if rules are violated, players should be penalized. If Siegmund isn’t capable of speeding up her play to stay within the framework of the rules, perhaps she should find another way to make a living.
The German player ended her tirade with more criticism and another jab at American fans: “I understand they are crazy for the American and they want her to win but to treat the opponent like this, it’s just not good for tennis. I mean I would only come back because it’s a Slam, but for sure not for the people and to give them a show.”
Considering Laura Siegmund is 35 and ranked 121st in the world, she should feel fortunate to even get a Slam invite. If she wants to skip the US Open, I doubt anyone will notice or care.
Featured image screen grab from embedded YouTube video
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