French Open 2025: Crowd Boos Disrupt Aryna Sabalenka’s Quarter-Final Match Against Qinwen Zheng
During Aryna Sabalenka’s 7-6(3), 6-3 quarter-final victory over Qinwen Zheng at the 2025 French Open on June 3, 2025, on Court Philippe-Chatrier, a disruptive incident sparked outrage among spectators and commentators. As Zheng prepared to serve at a critical moment in the first set, which headed to a tiebreak, a fan stood up and left their seat, delaying her serve. The crowd responded with loud boos and whistles, expressing frustration at the interruption, deemed “pretty rude” by TNT Sports commentator Chris Evert, per *Express.co.uk*. The disruption briefly unsettled Zheng, who lost the point, contributing to Sabalenka’s eventual win, advancing her to the semi-finals as the first player to reach that stage, per *The Guardian*.
The incident, captured in Getty Images, highlighted the French Open crowd’s notorious volatility, a recurring theme at Roland Garros. Sabalenka, the world No. 1, maintained her composure, leveraging her evolved clay-court game—mixing power with deft drop shots—to secure the victory, dropping just 10 games en route to the last 16, per *OptaAce*. Zheng, who had beaten Sabalenka 6-4, 6-3 at the Italian Open in May 2025, per *The Athletic*, struggled to match her rival’s variety, despite her Olympic gold pedigree on Paris clay. Fans on X, like @DExpress_Sport, slammed the spectator’s actions, while @TennisFan123 called the crowd’s reaction “typical Roland Garros chaos.”
The controversy added to ongoing scheduling debates, with fans and players like Ons Jabeur criticizing the French Open for favoring men’s matches, such as Carlos Alcaraz vs. Tommy Paul, for night sessions over women’s blockbusters like Sabalenka vs. Zheng, per *Express.co.uk*. Sabalenka’s ability to navigate the hostile atmosphere and Zheng’s challenge underscores her status as a title favorite, though her history of crowd tension— notably being booed in 2023 after a handshake snub by Marta Kostyuk, per *Hindustan Times*—highlights the complex dynamics at play. As Sabalenka eyes her first French Open title, the incident serves as a reminder of the intense emotions and expectations at Roland Garros.
