Frances Tiafoe taunts Italian Open crowd as match suspended after being booed

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An underarm serve from Frances Tiafoe against Lorenzo Musetti was greeted by a crescendo of boos at the Italian Open, but the American was unrepentant and simply encouraged the crowd to boo louder. The contest will not be decided until today (May 16) however, after persistent rain saw play suspended on Monday evening.

Home favourite Musetti holds a slender advantage in the third-round match after finishing the session with a 5-7, 6-4, 2-1 lead, holding a break of serve in the deciding set.

But it was the actions of Tiafoe that got the crown humming after the current world number 12 caused a stir by opting to serve underarm against his Italian opponent. The serve was met with instant disapproval from the lively crowd, with loud boos echoing around the Grand Stand Arena.

But recognising the hostile environment, Tiafoe was only too happy to play pantomime villain and decided to embrace the wrath of the congregation. Cupping his ear, the 25-year-old merely encouraged the partizan home crowd to boo louder.

Tiafoe has made steady progress through the ATP rankings since shooting to prominence at the 2022 US Open, when he became the first American to beat Rafael Nadal in a Major since wildcard James Blake performed the same feat at the 2005 US Open.

He reached the third round of the Australian Open, where he lost to Karen Khachanov, before reaching his first Masters 1000 semi-final at Indian Wells without dropping a set in four matches, only to be defeated by Daniil Medvedev at the penultimate stage.

He would go one better at the Houston Open however, collecting the second ATP singles title of his career with a 7-6(1), 7-6(6) victory over Tomas Martin Etcheverry.

Tiafoe will need to dig deep if he is to avoid a third-round exit from the Rome Masters on Tuesday and the American was not impressed by the conditions he was asked to play in before the match against Musetti was eventually suspended.

Tiafoe complained to chair umpire about the playing conditions in the second set. He said: “It’s absolutely pouring with rain. The lines are slick as hell. How are we playing?”

Jaume Campistol responded: “If the court is fit to play we have to continue.”

A disgruntled Tiafoe continued with his objections, suggesting that the only reason that match had not already been halted was because he was facing an Italian opponent.

Tiafoe said: “How are we playing on this court right now. How! How are we possibly playing on this court when it’s raining this hard? I don’t care! How are we playing on this? How? You’re joking. Every single one of you is playing tricks. Of course you won’t stop this as I’m playing an Italian.”

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