{"id":174485,"date":"2025-09-28T05:36:14","date_gmt":"2025-09-28T05:36:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/174485\/"},"modified":"2025-09-28T05:36:14","modified_gmt":"2025-09-28T05:36:14","slug":"lorenzo-musetti-apologises-for-outburst-at-china-open-fans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/174485\/","title":{"rendered":"Lorenzo Musetti apologises for outburst at China Open fans"},"content":{"rendered":"

Italian tennis player Lorenzo Musetti apologised on Saturday for an on-court outburst at people coughing in the crowd at the China Open.<\/p>\n

\"TENNIS-CHN-OPEN\"Italy\u2019s Lorenzo Musetti reacts after winning a point against France\u2019s Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard during their men\u0092s singles match at the China Open tennis tournament in Beijing on September 26, 2025. Photo: Greg Baker\/AFP.<\/p>\n

The 23-year-old was visibly frustrated at one moment of his three-set win over Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard on Friday in Beijing.<\/p>\n

\"hkfp<\/a>\t\t\t<\/p>\n

The fourth seed mimicked a person clearing their throat and said in Italian: \u201cThey cough every three seconds.\u201d<\/p>\n

Local media, including state-owned The Paper, accused him of also mouthing \u201cdamn Chinese\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy words were directed only at a few individuals in the crowd who were coughing repeatedly and disturbing the play,\u201d Musetti wrote on Instagram on Saturday.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey were never, in any way, meant for the Chinese people.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt happened in a moment of stress and tension in the second tiebreak, but still, this is no excuse at all.<\/p>\n

\"LorenzoItalian tennis player Lorenzo Musetti\u2019s apology on Instagram, posted on September 27, 2025. Photo: Instagram.<\/p>\n

\u201cI realise that the way I expressed myself was wrong and inappropriate, and it hurt many Chinese fans\u2019 feelings.\u201d<\/p>\n

He next plays 37-year-old Frenchman Adrian Mannarino in the last 16 of the China Open.<\/p>\n

Musetti lost the Chengdu Open final to qualifier Alejandro Tabilo of Chile on Tuesday.<\/p>\n

The Italian\u2019s remorse comes after American Taylor Townsend received a backlash for making disparaging comments about food served in China while competing at the Billie Jean King Cup in Shenzhen.<\/p>\n

The US Open doubles finalist later pulled out of the China Open citing schedule changes.<\/p>\n

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\t\t\t\tDateline:<\/p>\n

Beijing,\u00a0China<\/p>\n

Type of Story: News Service<\/p>\n

Produced externally by an organization we trust to adhere to high journalistic standards.<\/p>\n

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