Protest interrupts women’s semi-final at US Open
Play was stopped after three people, wearing T-shirts saying ‘fossil fuels’ began shouting after the first game of the second set
The US Open semi-final between Coco Gauff and Karolina Muchova was suspended by more than 45 minutes after a protester glued his feet to the floor in the stands.
Three people, wearing T-shirts bearing the words ‘fossil fuels’ began shouting after the first game of the second set, forcing play to be stopped.
American teenager Gauff and Czech 10th seed Muchova initially stayed on the court for about 10 minutes while security tried to deal with the situation.
The Arthur Ashe crowd at one point began chanting “kick them out” with the protesters apparently being difficult to shift.
It later transpired that while two of the protesters had been removed, a third had somehow glued his bare feet to the concrete.
“Are they like talking to them or are they going to remove them?” Gauff asked chair umpire Alison Hughes and tournament referee Jake Garner.
She then spoke to her coach, Brad Gilbert, saying “they say they are negotiating, like it’s a hostage situation. What should I do?”
Both players eventually left the court with Gauff leading 6-4 1-0. They returned at 8.50pm and, after a warm-up, play resumed 50 minutes after the last point.
It is not the first time a major tennis tournament has been disrupted by protesters.
At Wimbledon this year Just Stop Oil activists caused two matches, one involving Britain’s Katie Boulter, to be suspended after running onto the court throwing jigsaw pieces and confetti.
Last year’s French Open semi-final between Casper Ruud and Marin Cilic also had to be temporarily halted after a woman tied herself to the net.
