"I know I made a mistake...": Musetti pleads with chair umpire over crowd behavior in Shanghai

© AFP

Jules Hypolite

le 08/10/2025 à 18h16

1 min to read

Auger-Aliassime Musetti Shanghai

Already booed in Beijing after his inappropriate remarks, the Italian experienced another electric evening in Shanghai between crowd provocations and frustration on the court.

Lorenzo Musetti will remember his Asian tour this season. The Italian, a finalist in Chengdu, quarter-finalist in Beijing, and eliminated in the round of 16 this Wednesday in Shanghai, has particularly made headlines for his comments towards the Chinese public.

It was in Beijing that he had made offensive remarks towards the spectators: "They're always coughing, these damn Chinese, they never stop...".

The controversy had swelled and the player had apologized, but the public had not forgiven him, as he was booed during the rest of the tournament.

Today in Shanghai, Musetti found himself in controversy again, once more complaining about the behavior of the Chinese public. The world number 9 addressed the chair umpire, believing that spectators were deliberately coughing between his first and second serves:

"I know I made a mistake and said something I shouldn't have, but please tell them something."

A spectator was also spotted opening a bottle of champagne between the Italian's serves, who lost to Félix Auger-Aliassime 6-4, 6-2.