New York's tennis faithful have a reputation for being loud, passionate, and fiercely loyal to their favorites. But on Thursday night at Arthur Ashe Stadium, that loyalty crossed a line that left many fans and observers fuming.
Elena Rybakina, the newly crowned world No. 1, battled past home favorite Coco Gauff in a gripping three-set semifinal, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4. Instead of celebrating her remarkable achievement, the Kazakh star was met with a frosty reception that quickly turned into a social media firestorm.
Videos from the match show the crowd going silent as Rybakina sealed the win, with many fans immediately heading for the exits. Even worse, some spectators were caught on camera yelling during Gauff's crucial overhead attempt on match point, a moment that many deemed classless and unsportsmanlike.
The backlash was swift and unforgiving. “Watching end of Rybakina win over Graff, I’m embarrassed by NY fans,” one fan wrote on social media. “When Coco lost final point, the so-called fans got right up & walked out with limited cheers for Elena, who played fabulous. They all need a class in sportsmanship.”
Another commenter added, “Rybakina not getting any applause after the match is pretty pathetic. I get that the crowd was all for Coco, but come on.”
Some tried to defend the crowd, noting that it’s natural to root for the home favorite. “A New York crowd is allowed to want Coco. That’s why they showed up,” one fan argued. “Rybakina still won the match. A few seconds of applause after the last point isn’t asking the fans to switch sides—it’s just acknowledging who actually closed it out.”
But the harshest verdict came from a user who simply wrote: “DISGRACEFUL, SHAMEFUL, DISRESPECTFUL CROWD.”
Rybakina, for her part, took the high road when asked about the crowd’s behavior after the match. “Of course a lot of people today wanted Coco to win. It’s normal. In the beginning I felt like it was a very nice atmosphere,” she said. “Only in the end when I was up in the third set the crowd really supported a lot Coco. But I tried to focus on myself. Tried to not listen. I feel like for me it was also first match on Ashe at night. I enjoyed the atmosphere even if the crowd was mostly for Coco.”
This isn’t the first time the US Open crowd has faced criticism this tournament. Earlier, fans were blasted for disruptive behavior during other matches, and even Aryna Sabalenka had to stop play to address a fan smoking marijuana. The pattern has raised questions about the atmosphere at Flushing Meadows, with some calling for better crowd control and sportsmanship.
Rybakina now turns her attention to Saturday’s final against the reigning champion, Aryna Sabalenka. It will be a clash of two of the tour’s most powerful hitters, and Rybakina will hope the crowd at least gives her a fair shake this time. The match is scheduled for 4 p.m. ET, and tennis fans around the world will be watching to see if New York can show a little more class.
