Temperamental Frenchman Benoit Paire’s second-round clash with Italian hot-head Fabio Fognini at the French Open on Wednesday always promised fireworks but it was in the Court Seven stands that tempers boiled over.
With a football-style atmosphere producing roars that could be heard across the complex, Paire beat the 28th seed 6-1, 6-3, 7-5 to reach the third round for the second time.
But the local favourite became distracted as some fans got too excited and a fight broke out.
Yeah. I almost stepped in, but, no, no, it’s true that in the crowd there were two people that started fighting
“Yeah. I almost stepped in, but, no, no, it’s true that in the crowd there were two people that started fighting,” 71st-ranked Paire said.
“It was a bit of a mess. I was focused on my match. I knew exactly what I had to do, and the weather was good.
“Everything was perfect to play a beautiful match. So now if there is a problem in the crowd, if there is a donkey walking across the court, I don’t care. I want to play my match.”
Paire said Fognini, who has beaten nine-times French Open champion Rafa Nadal twice this year, told him after the match that he had been suffering from food poisoning.
“I know that you always have to be careful, because Fabio can wake up all of a sudden,” Paire said.