Emma Raducanu became the center of attention after her clash with Aryna Sabalenka, a match loaded with intensity that soon turned into controversy. The moment that set social media ablaze came when the British player asked for a child in the crowd to be removed after he had been crying for several minutes, splitting opinion among fans.
The incident took place during the third round, in an already exhausting set: 20 minutes of nonstop rallies with Sabalenka leading 4-3. Raducanu argued that the constant crying of the child was breaking her concentration, a critical factor in a tennis match.
It later turned out the distraction was coming from a baby who had been crying for about 10 minutes. When the chair umpire approached to confirm whether she truly wanted them removed from the stadium, her expression made the answer a resounding “yes.” The crowd, in unison, also seemed to support the move.
A split in opinion
Not everyone agreed. Online reactions ranged from direct criticism “If she can’t handle it, she shouldn’t play tennis,” “Tennis players are like babies,” “If they’re such professionals, they shouldn’t be bothered by a child” to messages in her defense: “The level of focus they need is immense, especially against Sabalenka,” “The distraction is real,” “She’s right, sorry.”
After the pause, the match resumed, although it remained unclear whether the spectator with the baby had left their seats. From the stands, some criticized the umpire for reacting too late and for using an unnecessarily harsh tone; others, however, enjoyed what they saw as his irony, suggesting Raducanu was overreacting.
In tennis, unlike in other sports where cheering is constant, silence is part of the game. Any noise can break a player’s focus, so it is not unusual for the umpire to ask those causing distractions to leave the venue.
That day, conditions were extreme over 32°C on court. One player even fainted from the heat. Some on social media speculated the baby was struggling with the temperature, which is why it was crying. This sparked a new debate: was it inconsiderate to bring the baby in the first place, or was it a lack of empathy to ask for its removal? As usual, opinions remained split, with many still debating whether Raducanu acted reasonably or overstepped.
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