Source: OT-Team(G), 红星新闻; The New York Times; New York Post; Puntodebreak.com
Italian tennis player Lorenzo Musetti has come under heavy criticism after making a derogatory remark about Chinese fans during the China Open in Beijing.
On September 26, during his second-round match against France's Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, cameras picked up Musetti muttering in Italian after a missed point in a tense second-set tiebreak: "These f**ing Chinese, they are always coughing. They cough every three seconds."* Although the comment was spoken quietly, it was quickly noticed by spectators and spread rapidly on social media. Several fans present at the Lotus Court that day said the atmosphere was orderly and questioned why Musetti shifted the blame for his mistake onto the crowd.
The backlash was swift. Chinese tennis fans voiced strong protests online, and two days later, when Musetti faced Adrian Mannarino in the round of 16, he was met with loud boos throughout the match. Spectators cheered Mannarino instead, and even after Musetti's 2–0 victory to secure a quarterfinal spot, the jeers continued.
In a gesture captured live on broadcast, Musetti wrote the word "Sorry" on the camera lens after his win. Speaking to the press afterward, he reiterated his regret:
"Obviously, I expected this kind of reaction from the fans. I've already apologized on social media, but I wanted to do it again in person, because I believe it's more appropriate. In a way, I think I deserved it, which is why I wanted to apologize directly after the match."
Musetti had issued a written apology on September 27 via social media, clarifying that his words were directed only at "a few individuals in the stands who were coughing repeatedly and disturbing play," not at the Chinese people as a whole. He admitted he had realized his mistake, saying his remark "hurt the feelings of many Chinese fans," and expressed deep regret and remorse.
Despite the controversy, Musetti's career achievements remain notable. Born on March 3, 2002, he is one of Italy's rising tennis stars. He claimed the men's singles bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, finished runner-up at the 2025 Monte Carlo Masters, and alongside Lorenzo Sonego, was men's doubles runner-up at the Cincinnati Masters in August 2025. Most recently, he reached the final of the Chengdu Open on September 23, 2025.
No comments:
Post a Comment