First it was a cat at the Istanbul Open. Then it was a bat at the Mutua Madrid Open. Yes, some unexpected visitors have invaded the clay-court swing.
As semifinal action took place last Saturday in Istanbul, a cat walked onto the court during the second set of a match between Federico Delbonis and Diego Schwartzman. Delbonis gently bunted a ball toward the cat in an attempt to usher it off the court. For his efforts, the Argentine actually incurred an unsportsmanlike conduct warning. He eventually lost to Schwartzman 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-2.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8L7jK2HZOEU
On Monday in Madrid, another incident involving an Argentina saw a bat interrupt Leonardo Mayer’s first-round showdown against Feliciano Lopez. Mayer eventually covered the bat with a towel and handed it to a ball-boy.
Like Delbonis, Mayer also ended up losing in three sets. Call it an animal curse?
amazing scenes
Who says tennis ain’t entertaining?
They should introduce (small) animals more often… maybe not in Paris, lest the French send a bull against Rafa
I thought those clips were hilarious! But a bat flying around on the court? Yikes!