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Tennis fans reacted to Laura Siegemund's emotional breakdown during a press conference following her defeat in the first round against Coco Gauff at the 2023 US Open.
Gauff secured a dramatic 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 comeback victory over German qualifier Siegemund in two hours and 51 minutes on August 28.
The match was filled with heightened tension, as Coco Gauff grew increasingly frustrated with Siegemund's prolonged preparations before facing her serve. In fact, the American's dissatisfaction reached a boiling point during the third set. She confronted the chair umpire and demanded multiple time violations be imposed on her German opponent.
During the post-match press conference, Laura Siegemund became visibly emotional. She even broke down in tears as she recounted the spectators relentlessly booing her on the court. The German also expressed her deep disappointment and sadness, as she felt was unjustly labeled a "cheater".
"Like they treated me like I was a cheater. Like I was like, trying sneaky ways to win this match or something. They treated me like I was a bad person," she said.
However, the sight of Siegemund shedding tears during the press conference did not sit well with the tennis fans. They were baffled to see her in tears because, in their opinion, she was the one at fault. Fans on social media supported Coco Gauff throughout the entire fiasco.
One fan speculated that Siegemund intentionally slowed down the pace because she couldn't match Gauff's regular tempo.
"Deliberately slowing down the pace because you at 36 years old can’t keep up with a 19 year old who was going at normal speed? Was being a little sassy on the court but want to cry in front of the media? Save the tears Miss Mamas lol," a fan tweeted.
Another fan expressed that while the crowd's behavior was undoubtedly terrible, Laura Siegemund bears her own "portion of blame" in the match.
"The crowd was horrendous but she pretty much has her own portion of blames in that match," the fan tweeted.
Here are a few more fan reactions:
Coco Gauff will take on Mirra Andreeva in the second round of the US Open 2023
Sixth seed Coco Gauff will square off against Mirra Andreeva in the second round (Round of 64) of the 2023 US Open on Wednesday, August 30.
Coco Gauff commenced her quest for a maiden Grand Slam title against Laura Siegemund. The American registered a dramatic comeback win over the German at the Arthur Ashe Stadium to secure her spot in the second round.
Meanwhile, Andreeva went up against qualifier Olivia Gadecki in her first-round match. Unfortunately, the Russian teenager had a rather lackluster start, managing to secure only one game in the opening set.
Mirra Andreeva had a rough start in the second set as well, falling behind 2-0. However, she swiftly turned the tide, winning six out of the next seven games to secure the set.
The third set started with some back and forth between them, ultimately resulting in the Russian emerging victorious, taking a 2-1 lead. Andreeva maintained her lead throughout the remainder of the match, securing a remarkable comeback victory 1-6, 6-3, 6-4. This win also marked her successful debut at the US Open.
Coco Gauff currently holds a 1-0 lead in head-to-head matches against Mirra Andreeva. Their previous encounter took place at the 2023 French Open, where Gauff emerged victorious in three sets.
