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The US Open has provided us with some of the most bizarre moments of this tennis season. From the strong marijuana scent putting players off on Court 17 to outspoken stars calling out hecklers, we have seen it all at this year’s fourth and final Grand Slam. Speaking of disruptive fans, one of the oddest incidents took place in the ongoing Round of 16 encounter between Jannik Sinner and Alexander Zverev.

The much-anticipated clash lived up to the hype so far. Both players delivered some of the finest rallies in the match. However, it was a strange comment from a spectator that momentarily grabbed all the limelight. And in another unexpected twist, Coco Gauff‘s consultant had to intervene in order to deal with the heckler.

Coco Gauff’s consultant deals with Zverev’s heckler

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The match had reached its most intense phase. Zverev was leading two sets to one, but the Italian was dominating the rallies in the fourth set despite the score being on serve. In one of the high-pressure moments of the fourth set, a heckler interrupted the play.

According to reports, Zverev claimed that his heckler had uttered a phrase about Adolf Hitler. He complained to the chair umpire, who turned to security. Coco Gauff’s consultant, Brad Gilbert, who has been pulling off multiple stints at this year’s US Open, came to the rescue as well. He helped the authorities in identifying the fan and immediate action was taken as the man was escorted out.

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The Flushing Meadows tournament has long been known for its electrifying crowd, but hecklers have been over the top at this year’s US Open. Zverev had his encounter today. Similarly, Jelena Ostapenko too had to deal with a drunk audience member recently.

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Ostapenko’s no-nonsense attitude towards disruptive fan

Jelena Ostapenko’s matches are incomplete without drama. Intense drama characterized the Latvian star’s third-round encounter as well. A drunk fan persistently kept screaming between her serves. Known for not tolerating others’ nonsense – especially mid-match – Ostapenko lashed out at the fan. She pointed at him and asked the authorities to take appropriate action.

The heckler found his way back into the stadium, but Ostapenko managed to seal the deal in three sets. She then also went on to register a monumental victory over Iga Swiatek, thereby dethroning her from the World No. 1 ranking which the Pole held steadfastly for 74 weeks.

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What measures should the authorities take to reduce the frequency of hecklers? Do let us know in the comments.

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