Quiet please, Iga Swiatek appeals to spectators

PARIS: Unruly crowds have been the talking point of a rain-marred first week at Roland Garros, so much so that the French Open swung hard, banning alcohol in galleries of match courts. The clay court major is the first Grand Slam to ban spirits in the stands.
At the end of the epic second-round clash between Iga Swiatek and Naomi Osaka, where the world No.1 rallied from 2-5 in the decider, the Pole appealed to fans not to 'shout during rallies'.Swiatek, who alluded that French crowds could be 'harsh', was caught weeping on camera after the clash. Perhaps a release of the pressure that weighed on her in the near three-hour match.
A couple of days ago, Belgium's David Goffin said he was 'spat at by a fan'. Tournament director Amelie Mauresmo in a bid to curb unruly behaviour announced that spectators will not be allowed to consume alcohol in the stands. Mauresmo warned: "If they exceed the limit, if they don't behave well or if they throw things at the players, that's it."
Swiatek was at the receiving end of the support for Osaka, who was both the underdog and comeback player in this contest. 'Please don't shout during the rallies. This is serious for us," said the 23-year-old. "The stakes are big, there's a lot of money to win, losing a few points may change a lot."
A spectator shouted midway through the third set, resulting in Swiatek missing a half-volley. "I got most frustrated when I missed that volley," she said. "It happened more times, if it happened one time, I would just let it go. French crowds can be kind of harsh. I don't know if it was a good decision or not (to speak), but I hope they can treat me as a human."
Osaka, who looked at home on the court, gave the Philippe Chatrier atmosphere the thumbs up. "I thought the crowd was really cool. I feel like those are the moments I live for," the 26-year-old Japanese said. "Also, it just makes me feel like the crowd is having fun, and at the end of the day that's what I want the most. I want people to be, like, no matter if I won or lost they said, I watched the match and I had a great time."
The fifth seed in the men's draw Daniil Medvedev, who has had his share of run-ins with spectators, said there were two ways to look at it. "There's an official rule, don't interrupt players before second serve and when they're ready to serve and during the point," Medvedev said. "Personally, I like it. Because it (tennis) is so technical and every millimetre of movement that you change, the ball is going to go to a different side. If someone screams in your ear you could double fault. Also, if there was no such rule, we would get used to it."
The Russian, asked about fans at the other majors, said French crowds were 'not easy'. "I think a lot of players experience it," he said. "I would say that the US Open and Wimbledon (crowds) are not the same. Australia (also) can be tough."
Paula Badosa vouched that it was louder on the smaller courts. "I played in small courts these days, I was hearing so much noise. In that moment, I'm just so focused on myself and on my match that it doesn't really bother me," said the Spaniard, who is fighting her way back from injury. "I like when fans cheer, I get pumped. We had a tough situation when we were playing without fans during Covid-19. So now, for me, I'm so happy they're back."