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USA Today via Reuters

USA Today via Reuters

The repetition of Wimbledon Championships unfolds at the US Open in the semi-final match between Coco Gauff and Karolina Muchova. The American sensation won the first set against Muchova and is leading in her second. When the match turned into a thriller, terrible scenes unfolded as the protestors interrupted the heavily anticipated match. The Arthur Ashe Stadium turned into a protesting ground, as a group started chanting their cause loudly.

The cause was the same as the Wimbledon protestors: to save fossil fuels. The authorities at the Flushing Meadows are handling the situation, as the play halted for more than 15 minutes now. The teenager and her coach, Brad Gilbert, got visibly upset and expressed frustration over how the problem was being tackled, as Gilbert called it a ‘joke.’

Coco Gauff was displeased at the authorities for their poor skills

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During the second set, three protestors shouted, ‘End fossil fuels.’ They even wore T-shirts that spelled out the same. But the lackluster efforts of the security to pull the protestors out of the stadium got to Gauff’s nerves. She had a talk with her coaches, Pere Riba and Brad Gilbert, as the teen wanted to storm out of the court.

According to ‘The Tennis Podcast,’ Gauff was angry at how the security was dealing with the protest as a hostage situation. The tweet read, “Donna Kelso told Coco Gauff it was going to be 5-10 minutes. Coco Gauff now asking Pere Riba and Brad Gilbert if she should leave the court. ‘They’re on the phone negotiating like it’s a hostage situation.’ – Coco Gauff.”

The 19-year-old is playing her first semi-final at her home Slam. Gilbert, who previously coached Andre Agassi and Andy Murray, played a crucial role in bringing out the best of Gauff. So when the protestors took over, the American coach, too, vented his angst as the security struggled to act quickly.

READ MORE: In Hot US Open Pursuit, American Tennis Superstar Coco Gauff Takes Die-Hard Fans to Her Heart as She Makes an Emotional Move for Her Clan

The American coach dismisses the actions of security as a joke

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In the first game of the second set, the players eventually returned to their locker rooms. The delay in solving the issue irked Gilbert, who was eager to watch Gauff race past the Czech champion. He called out the officials and cried, ”This is a joke!”?The teenager wished the home crowd to cheer for the natives and support them more on the home turf. So, this protest could be a major blow to her morale.

https://twitter.com/Mike_Dickson_DM/status/1699940072424964289?s=20

The veteran coach opined that the security could not even handle three kids, referring to the protestors. This was a blow out of the blue as the climate protestors did not make an appearance in the US. However, they targeted the semi-finals of the previous two Slams and stuck to their pattern.

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Fans and players are now worried about how the final might end up, as the security at Flushing Meadows had to rely on the New York Police Department (NYPD). There were only 3 protestors, and the authorities had to suspend the play to tackle them. What if there were more? Do you think the situation was handled well? Let us know in the comments.

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