Coco Gauff seems to understand the passion of the noisy French crowd. The clay court major event is moving ahead with great enthusiasm from the live audiences. While several players including Iga Swiatek complained about the spectators creating distractions, Coco Gauff came forward to mention how she sees it in a unique way.
Tennis fans from all across the globe eagerly wait for the Roland Garros every year. While the event has a great history, the players get to experience intense enthusiasm levels from the crowd like no other venue. Recently, Coco Gauff mentioned how she is enjoying the vibe in Paris, expressing that the greater crowd excites her.
“I like big crowds obviously, and I like when people are passionate about the match,” Gauff said. Several players raised their voices regarding the behavior of spectators as irrelevant and disturbing. Acknowledging that it can be tough to handle sometimes, the 20-year-old added, “I know sometimes during the point it can be tough when there’s crowd noise, and especially when it’s unexpected. I think constant noise is better. I think to an extent it’s tough because you’re watching a match at such high stakes, and I see myself as a spectator.”
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Coco Gauff on crowd noise during matches
“There's been a lot of talk about the crowds here. You've played on all the great stages of the game. Can you just go off sort of free-form on the differences on the big stages, what you like, the differences, and also, maybe what's the… pic.twitter.com/12Tek2iIIc
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) May 31, 2024
Her response came just hours after Iga Swiatek registered a contrasting statement. After securing a massive win over Naomi Osaka, the Pole came forward to slam the French crowd in her post-match interview. “Sometimes under a lot of pressure, when you scream something during the rally or right before the return, it’s really hard to be focused,” she said.
Coco Gauff, who is generally known to side with the crowd for their immense support, not only presented a statement full of mutual understanding but also opposed her on-court rival indirectly. While the controversy with the crowd crossed certain limits, the authorities decided to give a shocking call.
French Open authorities impose a ban on alcohol
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ATP star David Goffin was quick to raise his voice after going through a terrible experience during his opening-round match. The Belgian unveiled a reality worth despising as the local crowd treated him with complete disrespect.
Also no more alcool in the stands on courts will be allowed. https://t.co/wfoim9ibZQ
— Carole Bouchard 💜💛 (@carole_bouchard) May 30, 2024
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Soon after Goffin mentioned that the hecklers “spat their gum” at him, the authorities came up with an unexpected announcement. “No more alcool in the stands on courts will be allowed,” an active journalist wrote on X, mentioning that the practice of enjoying matches along with the sip of booze will no longer be allowed in the Roland Garros premises.
There are several discussions going on regarding the local crowd at the French Open. While some hecklers may cross boundaries sometimes, it is a subjective opinion about who sees it as cheers and who disregards it as noise.