When Veronika Kudermetova entered the National Bank’s Round of 32 match, she was up against the World No.2 and US Open favorite Coco Gauff. In her previous three encounters, the American had an edge of 2-1, but Kudermetova entered this match with one clear goal—to recreate her three-set triumph over Gauff from Doha. However, before the Russian even won her first game in the match, an unexpected moment stole the spotlight—sparked by a recent revelation she made off the court.

Now, fast forward to Veronika’s R32 match against Gauff, tennis fans lost it when one of the commentators referenced this incident during the match.

In the first set, right as Kudermetova stepped up to serve in game two, the broadcast hit pause for “tea.” Victoria Duval via The Tennis Channel on X seemed to chime in: “I don’t know if you heard about this tea… this is not tennis related, but there was news that Holger Rune apparently texted Kudermetova, and she said she was too old for him and married.” Her co-host added, “Yes, he was supporting her tennis somehow. She felt that it was something a little different.”

Well, unbothered by the noise, Veronika went on to win the first set by 6-4, and just when she looked set to defeat Gauff once again, she ended up losing the remaining two sets 7-5, 6-2. However, the commentators mentioning the incident during the match did not sit well with fans, calling it ‘brutal‘.

Fans rage about commentary during Gauff vs Kudermetova

Following the Tennis Channel’s tweet, one fan voiced a common frustration: “This is why I watch most matches on mute. These commentators are so unprofessional and enjoy drama.” While this might be a debut sentiment at the Canadian Open, it’s a gripe fans often air at other tournaments too! John McEnroe had faced criticism for his commentary style and even occasional mispronunciations during grand slams like the French Open and Wimbledon.

However, this time, the off-topic chatter in particular left fans baffled, with one commenting, “That commentary is wild they really said forget tennis, here’s the drama.😭” Another fan quipped,“I’m sorry there’s basically 0 commentators that we get here in the US that I don’t like but when Vicky Duval is on I switch to the world feed. Not only the voice but what does this have to do with anything😂” Though Duval comes from a tennis and sports background herself, this time her commentary didn’t quite hit the mark.

While some commentators take heat, a fan summed up the mood perfectly: “Commentary in this sport is at an all time low.” Though it’s tough for public figures to avoid controversy, respected voices like Darren Cahill, Mary Carillo, and Mark Petchey generally steer clear of drama. They’re praised for professionalism, deep expertise, and solid reputations in the tennis world.