Chair umpire James Keothavong was forced to call security to eject an “unruly” fan at the Shanghai Masters on day one of the tournament. Early in the second set of Matteo Berrettini’s match against Adrian Mannarino, the British umpire was suddenly heard asking for security to race to the stands.
After Berrettini held for 1-1 in the second set, Keothavong moved away from his microphone but was heard yelling: “Security, can you take him out now please?” Mannarino was forced to wait to start his service game, and there was a lengthy delay while the spectator was removed from the stands.
“Someone we think here is being told to go home,” commentator Nick Lester said.
Robbie Koenig added: “Yeah, he’s been asked a couple of times to behave. Just a little rowdy, probably excited that the tennis has come around. Just a little unruly, maybe took some inspiration from the golf on the weekend!”
The umpire tried to hurry things along, looking towards the stands and urgently waving his arm. “Come on, come on,” he added.
The players waited at the baseline as Keothavong spoke into his microphone and told the fan: “Can you please leave? Thank you.”
But they kept on waiting, and the rest of the fans inside the Stadium Court started booing. “Just a slight delay here as we deal with a fan being asked to leave,” Lester told viewers.
“I think we heard Mannarino at the end of the last game speak to James Keothavong about it. Wanted this sorted.”
Mannarino sat down on a sponsor box on the side of the court while the umpire continued to look into the crowd. Berrettini remained at the baseline with his hand on his hip as he waited to play.
Keonig added: “I guess the fact that this is not happening at the tail end of the set means it might not have as big of an impact on the outcome of the set, versus where it’s happening now at 1-1. Shouldn’t be too much of a disruption for either of these players.”
There was a loud cheer as the spectator finally left the stands and play continued. The lengthy delay didn’t seem to disrupt either player, as they continued through their service games with ease in the second set. Mannarino had taken the opener 7-5.
The Frenchman came to Shanghai in form after qualifying for last week’s China Open in Beijing and reaching the last 16. Berrettini, meanwhile, recently returned from a three-month injury layoff and was seeking just his second match win since May. But Mannarino went on to seal a 7-5 7-6(5) victory.
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