2023-09-08 00:34:18
The U.S. Open women’s semifinal match between American Coco Gauff and Czech Karolina Muchova was called off at the start of the second set due to a few people protesting climate change on Thursday night.
Gauff had won the first set, 6-4, and was leading 1-0 when the action was stopped.
Photo credit: AFP
As the players were about to start the second game of the second set, three people stood up in the upper part of the stands of the huge Arthur-Ashe court and chanted “end fossil fuels” (stop fossil fuels, editor’s note).
The referee preferred to interrupt the game and while the public repeatedly threw “get them out” against the activists, Gauff and Muchova were authorized to leave the court and return to the locker room while the situation was resolved. .
The players returned to the field about 45 minutes later.
A similar protest had taken place at Wimbledon twice, on court 18.
Gauff is trying to reach a second final at a major tournament, having reached the final round at Roland-Garros in 2022.
Muchova also reached the final of the French Open, but in 2023.
Coco Gauff’s US Open semi-final against Karolina Muchova halted by climate change protestors in the stands. #usopen pic.twitter.com/qded3qEYBN
— Matt Majendie (@mattmajendie) September 8, 2023
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#Open #GauffMuchova #match #interrupted #protesters