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Fritz ends French hopes at Roland Garros, shushes baying crowd / Photo: Anne-Christine POUJOULAT - AFP
Fritz ends French hopes at Roland Garros, shushes baying crowd
Taylor Fritz knocked out the last French player standing at Roland Garros on Thursday and mockingly shushed the boisterous, partisan night-time crowd.
The American world number eight defeated Arthur Rinderknech 2-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 and celebrated by placing his finger to his lips as the majority of fans roundly booed and jeered him.
"The public was so great, they encouraged me so much that I absolutely wanted to win," the American quipped sarcastically in his on-court interview.
As Fritz performed an exaggerated and theatrical bow to his tormentors, Rinderknech responded by drawing a heart in the clay on Court Suzanne Lenglen.
However, that brief thaw in the atmosphere won't hide the bitter truth for French tennis.
Of the 28 home players who started out in the tournament on Sunday, none managed to make the third round.
The only other time the host nation had suffered such an embarrassing wipe-out was 2021.
Fritz has now equalled his best ever performance at the French Open.
He will face Argentina's Francisco Cerundolo for a spot in the fourth round.
P.Schubert--BlnAP
