If I lose this match, he'll send me a message and wish for my mother to die," Riedi gets a bettor ejected from the stands at the US Open

© AFP

Jules Hypolite

le 29/08/2025 à 00h18

2 min to read

Cerundolo Riedi US Open

Leandro Riedi, ranked 431st in the world, surprisingly advanced to the third round of the US Open after coming from behind to defeat Francisco Cerundolo (3-6, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-2), the 19th seed.

Beyond this unexpected qualification for the Swiss player, who was down two sets and a break, an incident occurred midway through the fourth set. Annoyed by the overly enthusiastic cheers of a spectator in the stands, Riedi complained to the chair umpire.

The spectator was removed from the court, and the 23-year-old player explained in a press conference that it was a bettor he had noticed during his first-round match:

"He was already there in the first round, and he was shouting my name from the very first point. I immediately thought: this is definitely a bettor.

In the fourth set, I thought to myself: 'He's cheering for me, but if I lose this match, he'll send me a message on social media telling me how terrible I am and that he wishes my mother would die. He can't stay here and wish death upon my mother.'

I heard him telling me: 'Keep going, don't give up!' I was so annoyed by the situation that I asked for him to be thrown out. They removed him, at least I didn't hear him anymore. Bettors are easy to recognize—they always have their heads in their phones.

They're often dressed similarly, with a cap, sometimes glasses. In the first round, when my opponent double-faulted, he celebrated it way too excessively.

So I knew he knew nothing about tennis. He wanted me to win because my ranking, outside the top 400, is more appealing to bettors. Maybe he went all in (bet all his money) on me...