
British tennis star Emma Raducanu had an unusual on-court distraction during her Cincinnati Open clash with top seed Aryna Sabalenka on Monday — a crying child in the stands.
With Raducanu trailing 4-3 in the deciding set, the persistent noise prompted her to stop play and ask the chair umpire to step in. “It’s been like 10 minutes,” she said, visibly frustrated.
“It’s a child,” the umpire replied. “Do you want me to send the child out of the stadium?” Raducanu pointed toward the seats as the crowd responded with shouts of agreement. The umpire said they could “call in” but insisted the match continue for the moment.
Despite the distraction, Raducanu pushed the world No. 1 to a third-set tiebreak before falling short. Speaking to TNT Sports afterward, she said she was “proud” of the performance, noting that she had challenged Sabalenka more than in their Wimbledon meeting. “To have pushed her on a hard court like that, I’m pretty proud,” she added.