Tennis has managed to wean itself away from the stereotype of being for the upper class, wealthy establishment type. But some normal, working and middle class fans at the US Open are doing an awful lot to encourage the sport to close its doors on supporters.
Because some of the behaviour we have seen from fans at the US Open this week, as well as an increased drinking culture at other top events, has put a stain on an otherwise exciting fortnight at Flushing Meadows.
Earlier in the week Jelena Ostapenko was forced to intervene after an irritable fan wouldn’t shut up – she hounded him out of Court 17 to resounding applause.
US Open farce
In the same evening at the US Open, German Alexander Zverev was forced to plead for the removal of a fan after they were alleged to have been reciting “the very famous Hitler phrase” during the match. The umpire in question, James Keothavong, fumed at the fan and they were dispatched.
And on Tuesday evening Novak Djokovic audibly shot down his own supporters for being too loud during points, one of those were removed also.
Tennis is a glorious sport, allowing many to feel part of something exclusive. It is a world leader in so many aspects – equal pay at the grand slams, smart billing for big matches for both sides of the draw, and with a current ability to spring a surprise left, right and centre.
And with this in front of us, it cannot be too much to ask of fans to behave.
We should feel honoured to be able to get so close to the star players; tennis remains one of the few sports where there’s a realistic chance of seeing your favourite player on your shores at some point in the calendar year – rugby, football and cricket aren’t so lucky.
So we should embrace the occasion, but not get carried away with what’s going on.
Shame
Sit down, shut up and respect the stars thousands have paid to see.
A British TV cult hero, Peter Marsh, of Come Dine With Me fame once lambasted a guest in his house, saying they should learn some “grace and decorum, because [they] have all the grace of a reversing dump truck without any tyres on.”
We should apply the same approach to tennis and its Grand Slams, including the US Open. If you cannot behave, or you don’t know how to behave, do not go.
And this is not an attack on working, middle and upper class people spending their hard earned cash on tennis. It is a critique of people who don’t understand manners.
Melbourne Park, Roland Garros, Wimbledon and Flushing Meadows; these venues are iconic and deserve us fans on our best behaviour.
Players do not deserve abuse in any sport for playing sport, nor do they deserve a bunch of lunatics shouting Hitler references and being forcibly removed.
We’re living in an era of tennis greatness, and we should revel in that rather than use it as an excuse to get on the bubbly.
