Latest news with #Goffin
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
French Open fans have become the most rowdy in tennis, and players do not like it
We can expect several of the world's finest tennis players to see red over the next few days – and not only because that is the colour of the Parisian clay. In recent seasons, the French Open has become arguably the most testing event on the circuit. On top of the physical and technical demands of best-of-five-set tennis, you have to deal with the spikiest fans in the game. Advertisement Last year, the issue came to prominence after Belgian veteran David Goffin endured what he described as three-and-a-half hours of insults, culminating in a fan spitting chewing gum at him at the conclusion of his five-set victory over home favourite Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard. 'It's becoming football,' said Goffin after that match. 'Soon there will be smoke bombs, hooligans and fights in the stands. Some people are there more to cause trouble than to create an atmosphere.' Goffin's complaints did not go unheeded. Tournament director Amélie Mauresmo responded by instituting an unprecedented 'booze ban', in which spectators are allowed to drink in the concourses but cannot take alcohol onto the court. These measures have now been extended into 2025 as well, so it will be interesting to see how well they work. Advertisement The early rounds of Roland Garros are often the most tempestuous, because of the preponderance of home hopes. No fewer than 27 French players are involved in the singles draws that start on Sunday, although – like Brits at Wimbledon – they tend to be winnowed out quickly once play begins. The involvement of a Frenchman or woman is usually what sends the Parisian crowds off the deep end. The former British No3 Liam Broady described the experience in colourful terms during an interview with Talksport last year. 'I've had all sorts there, personal abuse,' said Broady. 'Last year in qualifying I had to ask for a group of people to get removed. I think it's been happening for a few years now and the umpires don't seem to be able to do anything. 'I do get the feeling at the French Open that a few guys go for a drink with their mates and see which players you can rattle. A lot of people don't actually go to watch the sport.' French tennis fans at Roland Garros are a passionate bunch - Bertrand Guay/AFP Players like Broady and Goffin would contend that they do not mind what is usually known as a 'Davis Cup atmosphere' – in reference to tennis's international team event – in which the crowd is noisy and partisan. It is the personal element which pushes this behaviour over the edge. Advertisement Such distinctions are difficult for umpires to make, in the absence of any obvious way to measure rowdiness. But it is interesting that French fans are emerging as the most likely offenders. French fans can get boisterous when a compatriot takes to the court - Emmanuel Dunand/AFP Even at the Australian Open – which takes place in Melbourne, a city without a large French-speaking community – there have been a couple of incidents in recent years. In January, the chanting that supported France's Arthur Cazaux against Great Britain's Jacob Fearnley grew so loud that the players on the next-door court asked to be moved further away. Twas not ever thus. 'When I played Frenchmen at Roland Garros, the crowd were lairy – but in a good way,' recalls Tim Henman, who reached the semi-finals here in 2004. 'It was a fun, lively atmosphere. I think now there are times when their behaviour is questionable.' Advertisement As for Sue Barker, who became the last British player to land a title here when she beat Renata Tomanova in the 1976 final, she remembers the fans being gloriously well behaved. But then, as she points out, 'That was the way the world was then. It's all different now!' This may all be part of an unfortunate post-Covid trend. We hear of people being determined to go out and enjoy themselves in any way they deem appropriate, even if that means disrupting theatre performances by singing along or interrupting the actors. In tennis, the players have become so exasperated that they are beginning to return fire. The day after the chewing-gum incident, serial Roland Garros champion Iga Swiatek interrupted her own on-court interview to scold the crowd on Court Philippe-Chatrier. 'When you scream something during the rally or right before the return,' she tutted, 'it's really, really hard to be focused.' Swiatek may perhaps have been influenced by Goffin's stand, which proved popular within the locker-room. After falling in the second round, Goffin explained that he had lost count of the number of players who had thanked him for taking a stand. Advertisement Not everyone agrees with the principle of the on-court booze ban. Mark Petchey, the experienced broadcaster and former British No 1 who is now coaching Emma Raducanu, queried Mauresmo's decision on social media during last year's French Open. 'Tennis wanting to get younger people watching,' wrote Petchey. 'Tennis also spending most of its time telling crowds to quieten down, don't make a sound in rally, don't pick a side too vigorously, don't drink in your seat but you should also be in that seat continuously from 11am to 7pm.' Yet there appears to have been no effect on ticket sales. Qualifying this week has been packed, and the roars that encouraged France's Titouan Droguet on Friday evening must have been audible far into the greenery of the neighbouring Bois de Boulogne. The next few days will give a sense of how the Mauresmo rule affects fan behaviour, particularly during the all-action intensity of the opening round. There are suspicions that the rules were not enforced with any great diligence last year, when punters could be seen with a beer in each hand while sitting on the outside courts. Advertisement As for the larger stadia, the authorities may be keeping an eye on the possible early clash between Novak Djokovic – the three-time champion who has described the Roland Garros crowd as 'not easy' – and Corentin Moutet, the tricky French left-hander and undisputed master of s---housery. If that second-round meeting should come to pass, they might have to call in the army. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
CNA
26-05-2025
- Sport
- CNA
It's all French to me, says Fearnley after noisy French Open debut win
PARIS :Jacob Fearnley kept his cool amid a noisy French Open first round victory over former champion Stan Wawrinka on Monday with the local crowd vocally supporting the Swiss. The 23-year-old Scot, making his debut in Paris, said he was not bothered when fans shouted at him during his straight sets victory because he could not understand what they were saying. "A lot of it was in French," Fearnley, ranked 55th in the world, told a press conference. "There were a lot of guys that were talking to me. "I knew that they were supporting Stan. Honestly, it was mostly in French. They could have been saying nice things, but I doubt it." Last year Belgian David Goffin accused partisan fans of "total disrespect", saying he had been spat on in his first round match against local favourite Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard. Fearnley could next face France's Ugo Humbert, who enjoyed loud support, including chants, by the home crowd in his clash with Australia's Christopher O'Connell. "That would be cool (playing Humbert)," said Fearnley, who was speaking before Humbert's match finished. "Honestly, I enjoy the environment. As long as they keep speaking French, I don't understand what they're saying. That helps, as well."
Reuters
26-05-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
It's all French to me, says Fearnley after noisy French Open debut win
PARIS, May 26 (Reuters) - Jacob Fearnley kept his cool amid a noisy French Open first round victory over former champion Stan Wawrinka on Monday with the local crowd vocally supporting the Swiss. The 23-year-old Scot, making his debut in Paris, said he was not bothered when fans shouted at him during his straight sets victory because he could not understand what they were saying. "A lot of it was in French," Fearnley, ranked 55th in the world, told a press conference. "There were a lot of guys that were talking to me. "I knew that they were supporting Stan. Honestly, it was mostly in French. They could have been saying nice things, but I doubt it." Last year Belgian David Goffin accused partisan fans of "total disrespect", saying he had been spat on in his first round match against local favourite Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard. Fearnley could next face France's Ugo Humbert, who enjoyed loud support, including chants, by the home crowd in his clash with Australia's Christopher O'Connell. "That would be cool (playing Humbert)," said Fearnley, who was speaking before Humbert's match finished. "Honestly, I enjoy the environment. As long as they keep speaking French, I don't understand what they're saying. That helps, as well."
USA Today
21-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
How to Watch David Goffin vs. Alexandre Muller at the 2025 Mutua Madrid Open: Live Stream, TV Channel
How to Watch David Goffin vs. Alexandre Muller at the 2025 Mutua Madrid Open: Live Stream, TV Channel On Tuesday, David Goffin (No. 49 in the world) takes on Alexandre Muller (No. 39) in the Round of 128 at the Mutua Madrid Open. Goffin's most recent competition was on April 18, 2025 at the BMW Open, when he fell 2-6, 4-6 to Francisco Cerundolo in the quarterfinals. Muller is coming off a two-set loss in his most recent match on April 14, 2025 in the Round of 32 at the BMW Open to Alexander Zverev (4-6, 1-6). Watch Tennis Channel on Fubo! David Goffin vs. Alexandre Muller: live stream info & TV channel Tournament: Mutua Madrid Open Mutua Madrid Open Round: Round of 128 Round of 128 Date: Tuesday, April 22 Tuesday, April 22 Live Stream: Watch Tennis Channel on Fubo Watch Tennis Channel on Fubo Court Surface: Clay David Goffin vs. Alexandre Muller matchup stats Goffin is 6-5 on clay over the past year, with no tournament titles. In terms of serve/return winning percentages on clay over the past year, Goffin has won 67.6% of his games on serve, and 35.6% on return. Goffin has converted 41 of 113 break points on clay (36.3%) over the past 12 months and is 60th in break points won. In his last tournament, the BMW Open, Goffin fell in the quarterfinals to No. 22-ranked Cerundolo, 2-6, 4-6 on April 18. Muller has registered a 14-11 record in 11 tournaments on clay over the past year. Muller has a 73.7% winning percentage in service games when playing on clay, and a 28.0% winning percentage in return games. Muller has won 38.8% of break points on clay (71 out of 183) to rank 15th. In his last tournament (the BMW Open) on April 14, Muller matched up with Zverev in the Round of 32 and was eliminated 4-6, 1-6. Tennis odds courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook. Odds updated Monday at 9:58 AM ET. For a full list of sports betting odds, access USA TODAY Sports Betting Scores Odds Hub.
USA Today
18-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
How to Watch Francisco Cerundolo vs. David Goffin at the 2025 BMW Open: Live Stream, TV Channel
How to Watch Francisco Cerundolo vs. David Goffin at the 2025 BMW Open: Live Stream, TV Channel On Friday, Francisco Cerundolo (No. 22 in the world) meets David Goffin (No. 52) in the quarterfinals at the BMW Open. Cerundolo beat Alexander Shevchenko 6-3, 6-2 on Thursday in the Round of 16 in his most recent match. Goffin's most recent match on Thursday was a three-set win over Mariano Navone 0-6, 7-5, 6-1 in the Round of 16. Watch Tennis Channel on Fubo! Francisco Cerundolo vs. David Goffin: live stream info & TV channel Tournament: BMW Open BMW Open Round: Quarterfinal Quarterfinal Date: Friday, April 18 Friday, April 18 Live Stream: Watch Tennis Channel on Fubo Watch Tennis Channel on Fubo Court Surface: Clay Francisco Cerundolo vs. David Goffin matchup stats Cerundolo is 25-11 on clay over the past year, with one tournament win. Cerundolo has won 76.7% of his service games on clay over the past year and 33.5% of his return games. Cerundolo has converted 133 of 306 break points on clay (43.5%) over the past year and is second in break points won. In his last tournament, the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters, Cerundolo went down in the Round of 32 to No. 3-ranked Carlos Alcaraz, 6-3, 0-6, 1-6 on April 9. The 34-year-old Goffin, who is seeking his first tournament title on clay in 2025, is 6-4 over the past year on that surface. Goffin has a 69.5% winning percentage in service games on clay, and a 36% winning percentage in return games. Goffin has claimed 36.1% of break points on clay surfaces (39 out of 108) which ranks 64th. In the Qualification Final of his last tournament (the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters) on April 6, Goffin was taken down by No. 75-ranked Corentin Moutet 6-2, 6-7, 5-7. Cerundolo vs. Goffin futures odds Tennis odds courtesy of Tipico Sportsbook. Odds updated Thursday at 3:56 PM ET. Cerundolo Odds to Win the 2025 BMW Open: +400 +400 Goffin Odds to Win the 2025 BMW Open: +3300 Tennis odds courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook. Odds updated Thursday at 3:56 PM ET. For a full list of sports betting odds, access USA TODAY Sports Betting Scores Odds Hub.
