Taylor Fritz has hit out at the climate protestors that disrupted his Citi Open clash with Andy Murray, branding them “annoying”. Murray and Fritz were playing out a tight contest in the first set when play was halted as three giant tennis balls were thrown onto the court.
The protestors then held up a huge banner which read: “Climate Disaster & End Fossil Fuels.” Police eventually ushered the protestors out of the arena as the last-16 tie got back underway.
But the disruption didn’t go down well with other spectators, who booed the interruption. Fritz and Murray were able to brush over the protest as they continued their epic contest on court.
Murray won the first set tie-break, but Fritz ultimately fought back to win the three-hour clash. Speaking after the match, Fritz took aim at the earlier disruption to the match insisting the climate protestors aren’t winning any fans with their bold strategies.
“I get they’re protesting, but there’s just got to be a better way to do it,” Fritz said. “I don’t understand how people are going to get behind a cause when you’re ruining everyone else’s good time. Like, it doesn’t really make sense to me.
“It’s annoying, obviously, when they do it. It’s ruining everyone’s time. Everyone wants to watch the tennis. So I jokingly said, ‘Honestly, this makes me want to go fly on jets more.’
“I think, you know, they’re supporting a good cause, but the way they’re doing it, who’s going to want to listen when they’re just annoying everybody?”