A professional tennis player was at the center of a moment that quickly sparked debate during a match: she complained because a baby had been crying in the stands for about 10 minutes and eventually asked for him to be removed from the stadium.
The player was Britain’s Emma Raducanu, who was facing Aryna Sabalenka at the Cincinnati Open.
As she was about to serve, Raducanu drew the umpire’s attention to the crying coming from the stands. “It’s been about 10 minutes”, she reportedly said.
The umpire then asked her directly whether she wanted the boy removed from the stadium.
The crowd responded with a resounding “yes!”, while Raducanu raised her racket and seemed to confirm the decision.
The moment quickly went viral and sparked a debate between those who believe a player needs absolute concentration during a match and those who believe that a baby simply cannot stop crying just to avoid disturbing an athlete.
Raducanu ultimately lost the match to Sabalenka after more than three hours of play, but it was her reaction to the young spectator that ended up becoming one of the most talked-about moments of the match.
Was she right to ask for the baby to be removed, or should she have let it go?
Watch the video here: