Naomi Osaka heckled by spectator at BNP Paribas Open, addresses crowd after match
Writen by sidhanta
Writen by sidhanta
Naomi Osaka was heckled by a spectator in the crowd during her match against Veronika Kudermetova at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California on Saturday.
"Naomi, you suck," the spectator appeared to yell out following the first game of the match. The comment brought the four-time grand slam champion to tears on the court.
According to the Tennis Channel broadcast, during a break in play, Osaka asked the umpire for the microphone to address the crowd, but the umpire rejected the request.
Richard Williams detailed some of the abuse he received to USA Today, saying, "I had trouble holding back tears. I think Indian Wells disgraced America."
Addressing the crowd after the match, a choked-up Osaka referenced the 2001 incident."To be honest, I've been heckled before," Osaka said. "It didn't really bother me.
But heckled here, like, I've watched a video of Venus and Serena (Williams) get heckled here and if you've never watched it, you should watch it.
Speaking ahead of her return to Indian Wells in 2015, Serena Williams said the experience 14 years prior had left her feeling "as if I had lost the biggest game ever."
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