Tennis fans line up to buy beer from a Roland Garros tournament supplier. Photo: Alamy Live/Maya Vidon-White
Ah, the sounds of tennis. Instant hit to the right. The hiss of a new can of balls. Or, if you were at the French Open last week, the taunts of the hostile crowd.
On Monday, Russian No. 1 Daria Kasatkina became the latest player to accuse French fans of boorish behavior. .
“I am leaving Paris with a very bitter feeling,” Kasatkina wrote in a post on the social network. “Yesterday I was booed for being respectful of the position of the opponent, and not shaking hands … Be better, love each other. Don't spread hate.”
Voicing her disappointment, Kasatkina joined the growing list of players. Last week, two-time champion Novak Djokovic complained about «people… who like to boo everything you do», while Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk said that «people should be genuinely embarrassed.»
American No. 1 Taylor Fritz did not comment publicly, but his blood was visibly boiling as he eliminated the last French singles player on Thursday night, amid the deafening hype. Approaching the grid, Fritz put his finger to his lips before waving, «Come on then!» a gesture towards the crowd.
So how did Roland Garros, a 34-acre chic enclave populated by linen-clad employees who could step off a superyacht, turn into a seething pit of hate?
As tempting as it is to talk about the national soul, the simplest answer is usually the right one. Based on this principle, two factors come to mind. First, it's very hot. Secondly, many players are drunk. Beer has never been so accessible at this event. Where you once had to queue at bars, there are now self-service outlets in lobbies (just provide a glass and tap your card), as well as booze backpacks carried around by tournament vendors.
Even in a sober state, the French have always been a cheerful company. They do not view tennis as an exquisite museum piece, as Wimbledon players often do, but as a living part of their culture.
Every citizen of France will have a tennis club in their hometown, and these fans arrive at 16- th district with strong views.
On the eve of this event, I wrote that supporters of Roland Garros are known for their defiance. However, no one expected such a hype that we have seen over the past eight days.
The whole atmosphere was delusional in every sense. The tournament has also witnessed spontaneous outbursts of joy — for example, French No. 65 Lucas Pouy leads the entire stadium in the performance of «La Marseillaise» after winning the first round.
When the mood gets wild, the first screams are often caused by an argument about phone calls. Sometimes it's enough just to show disappointment — like on Sunday, when Djokovic watched a shot fly by and held out his hands in desperation.
This is not the first time Novak Djokovic has been involved in clashes with the crowd. Photo: AFP/Emmanuel Dunant
Then you have political tension. Ukrainian players all season refused to shake hands with the Russians, even if they warmly treated this person, because it would be disloyal to their warring compatriots.
Unfortunately, French Open fans don't seem to be able to understand this principle. After each of these matches, they chose a villain to boo, and this choice depended not so much on nationality, but on who was the first to refuse a handshake.
It was Kostyuk who received treatment on the first day. , even if the bewildered Arina Sabalenka — her Belarusian opponent — took the cries to heart enough to bow back sarcastically. Then on Sunday it was Kasatkina's turn, after she was eliminated by Ukrainian Elina Svitolina.
The sad irony is that Kasatkina has criticized Putin's war more than any other Russian player, calling it a «full blown nightmare.» » in September. After the match, Svitolina praised Kasatkina's courage, adding that «not many players» followed her example.
So don't get fooled by architecture, fashion and cuisine. Today, Paris can be called the capital of world sophistication. But go back a couple of centuries and it was home to the tumbrels and the crowd.
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