“I am very disappointed”
“Unfair” US audience makes Siegemund cry
08/29/2023, 08:35 am
The spectators in the Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York experience a great tennis match between US star Coco Gauff and Laura Siegemund. The German loses surprisingly close – and afterwards complains bitterly about the behavior of the spectators in the huge arena.
Tennis player Laura Siegemund sharply criticized the audience at the US Open after her narrow three-set defeat against American Coco Gauff. “I’m very disappointed with how people treated me,” said the 35-year-old at the Grand Slam tournament in New York and cried at times at the press conference. “They had no respect for me, they had no respect for good tennis, it hurts a lot.”
The spectators had booed Siegemund at 6: 3, 2: 6, 4: 6 in front of the eyes of ex-President Barack Obama and numerous other celebrities and applauded after devious first serves – an absolute taboo in tennis. “This unfair, disrespectful behavior towards a non-American, I’ve only experienced it on this court,” said Siegemund. “It’s the first time I’ve cried in a press conference.” She was treated like “a scammer” and “a bad person”.
Her 19-year-old opponent Gauff complained during the game that Siegemund needed longer than the allowed time to prepare between rallies. The German therefore received two warnings, which gave the world number six Gauff a point.
Siegemund will still be in action in women’s doubles at the US Open and has also registered for mixed. When asked if she would return to the US Open again, she replied: “I would only come back because it’s a slam. But certainly not to give people a show. If they act like that, they don’t deserve a show . I am shocked.”
In 2020, Siegemund celebrated her greatest success alongside Russian Vera Zvonareva: the duo won the US Open together. This year, the pairing is again at the start together, the duo meets the Americans Asia Muhammad and Caroline Dolehide in their first round match.