Emma Raducanu ‘calls for crying child to be ejected from crowd’ in narrow defeat by Aryna Sabalenka

Emma Raducanu’s latest match at the Cincinnati Open was already tense enough without an unusual off-court distraction — a crying child in the stands. In a closely fought contest against world No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka, Raducanu reportedly asked officials to remove the young spectator after repeated disturbances disrupted her focus.

The match, played in humid evening conditions, saw both players engage in high-quality rallies and long baseline exchanges. Raducanu, who has been steadily building form after a string of injuries, pushed Sabalenka hard from the very first game. The Brit’s crisp groundstrokes and tactical variety earned her an early break, but Sabalenka’s trademark power and resilience kept the scoreboard close.

Midway through the first set, however, Raducanu appeared visibly distracted by persistent crying coming from the stands. While tennis players are accustomed to a degree of background noise, the continuous wailing seemed to break her concentration during key points. According to on-court microphones and eyewitness reports, Raducanu approached the chair umpire during a changeover, gesturing toward the section of the crowd where the sound was coming from.

“It’s been going on for a while — can you do something?” she was overheard saying. Some outlets later claimed she suggested the child be removed from the seating area to avoid further disruption. The umpire appeared to confer briefly with court staff, though it’s unclear whether any action was taken. The crying eventually subsided, but the incident had already become a talking point among spectators and viewers following the match online.

Despite the distraction, Raducanu regrouped and continued to fight hard. She forced Sabalenka into several uncharacteristic errors and held her nerve in multiple long service games. But in the closing stages, Sabalenka’s relentless aggression paid off. A late break of serve in the deciding set sealed her narrow victory, though the final scoreline reflected just how tight the contest had been.

After the match, Raducanu downplayed the drama but admitted it had been difficult to stay fully locked in. “It happens sometimes — you just try to block it out, but we’re human and certain things can throw you off,” she said. Sabalenka, when asked about the incident, diplomatically noted that outside noise can be “part of the challenge,” but also empathised with Raducanu’s situation.

The moment has since sparked debate among tennis fans, with opinions divided. Some argue Raducanu was justified in seeking to maintain the integrity of the match environment, while others believe she should have simply adapted to the distraction. Regardless, it was another example of how off-court factors — no matter how unexpected — can influence even the most high-level encounters.