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USA Today via Reuters

USA Today via Reuters

Diego Schwartzman, the world-renowned Argentine tennis player, had to be escorted by guards at the Chile Open after a rowdy crowd threatened his safety. Schwartzman was playing against the Chilean player, Nicolas Jarry, in Santiago, and despite Jarry winning the match, the game was marred by abusive behavior from the crowd. Schwartzman also shared his views on the incident and, unsurprisingly, he wasn’t happy about it.

Throughout the match, Schwartzman faced a barrage of insults from the local crowd, which made him feel threatened. He could not serve properly, as the crowd continued to boo him every time he tried to do so. Jarry had to intervene and urge the crowd to stop their unruly behavior.

A rowdy Chile crowd calls out Diego Schwartzman

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Speaking after the match, Schwartzman expressed his disappointment at the crowd’s behavior. According to Tennisuptodate he said, “The truth is that it was a beautiful match to enjoy and watch. The worst moment was above all when I left the court: the amount of insults I received was incredible. You may not even think about the boos or them saying anything to you, but there comes a time when it was really bad and unbearable.”

The reason for this rowdy behavior of the crowd was mainly due to the heated rivalry between Argentina and Chile. When Schwartzman could not take the behavior anymore, he even warned the chair umpire that he would not serve unless there was silence. After this, Jerry too requested the crowd to stop their constant distractions.

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The situation got so bad that Schwartzman had to ask security to escort him off the court. He revealed that he was accompanied by six or seven security guards, who ensured his safety as he left the stadium. On his Instagram, Schwartzman thanked the Chile Open organizers and said that he is focusing on his training as of now.

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The incident has raised concerns about the safety of players at sporting events, particularly when playing against home players. It is not the first time that players have faced such abuse from the crowd. In recent years, other players have been subjected to racist abuse, physical attacks, and even death threats from fans.

Another incident that irked Schwartzman in the match

During the match, Schwartzman also had a riff with the umpire. He called out the decision on a ball that gave the third set to Jerry. Even after the match, Schwartzman was not over it. As Septimo Game reports, Schwartzman said something to the chair umpire Juan Ozon related to this decision.

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“You’re a moron, Juan, but a moron,” said the Argentine player before leaving the court at the end of the match. In the past, even seasoned players like Novak Djokovic, Serena Williams, and John McEnroe have faced such displays of bad behavior from the crowd.

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