US Open 2023 protestors
The delay during the US Open match between Coco Gauff and Karolina Muchova was caused by environmental protestors, including one who glued his feet to the ground
During the U.S. Open semifinal match on Thursday night, Coco Gauff faced off against Karolina Muchova. However, in the early stages of the second set, the match was unexpectedly delayed for 49 minutes. This interruption was caused by four environmental activists situated in the upper tiers of Arthur Ashe Stadium.
They were advocating for an end to the use of fossil fuels, and one of the protesters even affixed his bare feet to the ground. The protest created confusion among spectators, TV commentators, and the players themselves, who were unsure about the reason for the delay and the nature of the protest. As a result, both Gauff, who eventually won the match with a 6-4, 1-0 lead, and Muchova left the court temporarily.
While stadium security made efforts to remove the protesters from the stadium, a group of at least 10 New York City police officers was observed surrounding the disturbance in the loge level. It’s worth noting that the U.S. Open had established a designated area for protests outside the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, provided that groups had the necessary permits.
However, it remained uncertain whether the police had taken any legal action against the demonstrators. Additionally, the method by which security and the police officers managed to detach the man’s feet from the stadium floor was unclear. As the delay continued, some members of the crowd were overheard chanting “Kick them out,” referring to the protesters.
Prior to this incident, there have been other instances of environmental protests disrupting major tennis tournaments this year. In July, during Wimbledon, environmental protesters interrupted a match by scattering confetti onto a grass court.
Additionally, in 2022, at the Rod Laver Cup in London, a protester ran onto the court during a match and set fire to his arm, briefly igniting the playing surface. Extinction Rebellion NYC, an environmental activist group, released a statement after the delay, explaining that its activists were present to demand an end to the use of fossil fuels and emphasizing the message that “there is no tennis on a dead planet.”
The timing of the group’s protest coincided with challenging weather conditions for players at the U.S. Open. Throughout the tournament, competitors had to cope with some of the hottest weather, with temperatures soaring into the 90s and high humidity, creating an even more sweltering environment. The National Weather Service reported that this week’s highs in New York were approximately 10 degrees higher than the usual temperatures for this time of the year.
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