Tennis star Emma Raducanu has fans split on whether she was justified in asking match officials to take action against a baby during the Cincinnati Open.
World No. 39 Raducanu was in tough competition on Monday when she drew No. 1 player Aryna Sabalenka in the Round of 32. In a very close match, Raducanu was behind by just one game in the third set, but before serving, the British player paused and stepped away from the court to make a complaint to the umpire.
‘I can call in, but we have to continue for the moment.’
As a baby is heard crying in the distance, Raducanu looked visibly bothered before motioning to the sidelines and saying, “It’s been like 10 minutes,” referring to the baby in the stands.
The umpire responded to the 22-year-old, bluntly saying, “It’s a child. Do you want me to send the child out of the stadium?”
Shockingly, a group of fans shouted “yes” as Raducanu gestured in agreement with the crowd.
The umpire quickly revealed she would take action.
“I can call in, but we have to continue for the moment,” the umpire explained.
The crowd applauded as Raducanu returned to position to serve. Although Sabalenka botched the next point, the top women’s player went on to win the match. She eventually fell to No. 12-ranked American Amanda Anisimova in the semifinals.
Talksport pundit Simon Jordan agreed with Raducanu and took issue with the idea of not banning children from sporting events.
“If they’ve got a baby inside an auditorium: A, I don’t think it’s particularly responsible parenting. And B, it’s not reflective of the environment a child should probably be in!” Jordan claimed, per the Mirror. “And C, you’ve then got the distraction that tennis player, or anyone playing an individual sport that requires a degree of concentration, is going to be affected by.”
While many fans agreed that players need silence, others compared the scenario to other sports — such as boxing or darts — where the players do not have a choice.
“Meanwhile players in football, cricket, basketball etc.. playing with 200 freaking decibels of loud noises from tens of thousands in crowd,” a fan said in reaction to the video on X.
“Not like she’s playing chess,” another viewer wrote.
Multiple viewers also joked about the idea that while Raducanu was bothered by the baby’s cries, she did not seem to take issue with Sabalenka’s loud grunts when she hits the ball.
Interestingly, despite having issues with the chatty infant, Raducanu also received a lecture from the umpire in the same match for approaching her coach to get direction.
The umpire made it clear that the coach had to remain in his seat and that she could not approach him, but Raducanu said it was too hard to hear because of the arena’s music.
“Then he needs to speak louder,” the umpire explained.
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