"No security, what a joke of a tournament";"Glad Novak Djokovic is out" - Fans shocked by protestors interrupting Madison Keys' 4R clash
Madison Keys clinched an impressive victory against Sorana Cirstea 6-2, 6-1 to reach the quarterfinals of the Italian Open.
However, that was not the only highlight as environmental activists belonging to the Ultima Generazione movement interfered in the match and threw confetti on the court. The incident has raised worries among fans on social media.
Two members of the Ultima Generazione suddenly ran onto the court wearing orange vests and scattered confetti. Moreover, play was also hindered on Court 12, which hosted a second-round doubles match between Santiago Gonzalez and Edouard Roger-Vasselin against Marcelo Arevalo and Mate Pavic.
The protest underscored the discontent among fans and they later showed their concerns on X (formerly Twitter). One fan reacted by highlighting the glaring lack of security and safety measures at the tournament:
"No security, protests, bottles hitting players in the head, no medical assistance - what a joke of a tournament"
Highlighting the situation, a fan expressed his joy at Novak Djokovic's early exit.
"Rome is turning into a farce... a dangerous farce. I'm glad Novak is out of there tbh."
"how did they even get access to the court? i know its an outdoor court and all, but shouldnt security be the same throughout the venue, esp in an area where a match is ongoing?" wrote another fan.
"SECURITY @atptour!!!!!!!! What are you waiting for to happen to react," a fan commented.
Here are some more reactions:
"these people arent even protesting sh*t they are just disrupting matches to be annoying," a fan expressed.
"Can these people at least make their intentions clear in the 5 seconds they have before getting dragged off??? Like what are you even protesting," a fan said.
Madison Keys to lock horns against Iga Swiatek in the quarterfinals
Madison Keys has progressed to the quarterfinals of the 2024 Italian Open. The American will face Iga Swiatek in the quarterfinals of the WTA 1000 event. Keys will be seeking retribution against Swiatek, following her defeat to the same opponent in the semifinals of the Madrid Open last month.
Meanwhile, top-ranked Swiatek stayed on track after beating Angelique Kerber 7-5, 6-3 to clinch her spot in the quarterfinals of the Italian Open. It was the ninth consecutive triumph for the Pole and she will be aiming for a third Italian Open title in her career. She had won the Madrid Open ahead of the WTA 1000 event in Rome.