accused of being “totally disrespectful”, has the audience of the Parisian tournament really changed?

Belgian David Goffin’s rant put the question of the supporters’ attitude back on the table on Wednesday.

Winner of Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard on Tuesday May 28 after three and a half hours of fighting on court 14, David Goffin was not really smiling at the end of his first round at Roland-Garros. At the age of 33, the Belgian, usually rather calm, spoke at a press conference about the attitude of the French public: “Clearly, this goes too far, it’s total disrespect, it’s really too much. It’s starting to become ridiculous. Some people are there more to make a mess than to set the mood. Today, someone One spat his gum at me. It’s getting complicated.

So, when he ended up winning this match, the former world number 7 let his joy burst forth, by upsetting this hostile audience: “When you play for 3h30 with the audience patting you on the head, you’re happy to waste two seconds. They deserved it.” Before continuing: “Lots of people are complaining. This is the echo in the locker room and in the ATP authorities. I think it only happens in France. At Wimbledon there is no such thing. Neither in Australia. The US Open is pretty quiet. It’s a really unhealthy atmosphere here.”. But then, did the Parisian public really go wrong?

From his sixteen participations at Roland-Garros, our consultant Arnaud Clément confirms: “Yes, the atmosphere has changed at Roland-Garros since Covid. It’s more electric. Besides, if a fair and restrained player like David Goffin says, it’s not for nothing.” On the other hand, contrary to what the Belgian claims, the chauvinistic audiences and the incivility sometimes observed are not specific to the Parisian tournament.

“At the Australian Open, it’s the same, the phenomenon accelerated with a very, very drunk audience”slips Arnaud Clément, also evoking “the excessive public in Rome, for example”. According to Justine Hénin, “only Wimbledon is spared.” If the public at the tennis courts is increasingly noisy and festive, it is therefore a phenomenon which goes far beyond the framework of the Porte d’Auteuil.

“There has always been chauvinism for local players, but it has evolved in recent years”, explains Arnaud Clément. A development notably due to the creation of real groups of supporters, like the Koq and the Tribune Bleue for French players. But in these groups, we regret these excesses. “These are isolated cases which taint the atmosphere of an entire stadium”laments Hippolyte, member of the Tribune Bleue.

This new atmosphere does not only have detractors in the world of tennis. “In Melbourne, the Australians welcomed our encouragement, it was almost better received than here”adds Antoine.

“Here, we sometimes sense reluctance in the face of this new, warmer atmosphere, because the Roland-Garros audience is there more as spectators than supporters. It’s not easy to set the stadiums on fire.”

Antoine, vice-president of Koq

at franceinfo: sport

Other reasons put forward to explain this lack of public restraint are the advent of social networks. In any case, this is the opinion of Justine Hénin. “20 years ago, the public could also be hostile, but there was less excess because there was a distance from the athletes.” The former world number one regrets the familiarity between supporters and players that these new means of communication generate.

Agreeing with this analysis, Arnaud Clément puts forward other avenues, such as night matches “always more electric”or the difficulty of having places that “excites the lucky ones”. For the Frenchman, the players also have their share of responsibility: “David Goffin chambered with his hand on his ear. We see this type of attitude becoming more widespread among players, which makes the situation worse. Personally, I don’t really like it.” Even if Arnaud Clément understands, deep down, these reactions.

“This kind of atmosphere adds personal satisfaction, because we didn’t play on equal terms against the opponent…”

Arnaud Clément

at franceinfo: sport

What is certain is that the public at Porte d’Auteuil, long renowned for being knowledgeable, is becoming more and more heated, which unfortunately opens the door to some incivility. “Before, it was rather at Bercy that we could see this”, recalls Arnaud Clément, who sees in this increasingly palpable chauvinism a way of filling the void left by the Davis Cup reform. And the Habs conclude: “VS“Individuals who sometimes go a little beyond the framework, it’s a shame, because these atmospheres are beautiful for the French, and those who go beyond the framework contribute nothing.”