Taylor Fritz waited for long minutes. Marion Bartoli too, with the microphone in hand to try in vain to question the American winner of Arthur Rinderknech, the last Frenchman of the 28 entered at the beginning of this Roland-Garros 2023, also out in the 2nd round.
Despite several attempts by the former French player, the whistles of the court crowd Suzanne-Lenglen made impossible the exercise imposed on the winner. The latter was content with a bite "The audience was so great to push me, I wanted to make sure I had won. ". Then he ends the exchange with an ironic: "I love you guys."
"I love you guys" 😂
The French crowd 'loves' @Taylor_Fritz97 🤣🤫 #RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/UU1wj7qVs3
— Eurosport (@eurosport) June 1, 2023
A surreal scene that the French public had never offered to the best players on the planet on the clay of Roland-Garros. And this was not limited to the exit of the American, throughout the match, the French fans tried to destabilize Fritz especially when he served. Not enough to disturb the number 9 seed who finally won in four sets (2-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4).
Once the last point was scored, Fritz then turned to the audience by putting his index finger over his mouth to ask them to shut up. A gesture that was surely taken for provocation on the part of the American, since the public then doubled whistles and boos, to make the post-match interview impossible.
🎾 #RolandGarros | WHAT IMAGE 🤯
Taylor Fritz rooms the French public after her victory against Arthur Rinderknech!
▶ Follow the matches live 👉 https://t.co/XXBXdgXfGf pic.twitter.com/cEg3dSHEWz
— francetvsport (@francetvsport) June 1, 2023
Once out of the court, Taylor Fritz could not explain himself and return to this incident since he canceled the press conference yet mandatory. Unlike the beaten of the evening, Arthur Rinderknech who defended the French public.
"I'm more for this kind of football atmosphere. Yes, it was comparable, even if the Australians were much more drunk than the French. I don't know if we slipped Fritz sweet little words, I was the case there! And to continue: "Part of my journey is the United States and US universities with meetings where the public can interact during the points. I let you imagine... That's too much. But as long as we stand during the point shouting in all directions, I am for it. It makes the sport and the game so much better... »
Taylor Fritz reacted on social media by posting a tweet after midnight: "She (Bartoli) said she only asked one question before starting and I stayed and signed autographs for the children on my way out," he wrote on Twitter after midnight. Then another one a little later, it was an emoji of a face with the finger on the mouth...
🤫
— Taylor Fritz (@Taylor_Fritz97) June 1, 2023
On social networks, many have defended the American by castigating the attitude of the French public. "He's absolutely right. The public did not respect it. Certainly the atmosphere was incredible but talking during the service of the players is just not possible, "writes a user. The words "unbearable", "shameful", "unlivable" came up most often to describe the behaviour of the public before, during and after the match.
