"For someone to spit on David Goffin is just beyond me" - Fans appalled by rowdy French Open crowd's "disgusting" actions against Belgian

Former World No. 7 David Goffin has laid bare that he was subjected to dehumanizing insults by the French Open crowd during his first-round match against local boy Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard. Goffin's revelation has drawn widespread condemnation from tennis fans.

Goffin, currently ranked World No. 115, won a five-set thriller against Frenchman Mpetshi Perricard. The latter unsurprisingly got the crowd's full backing against the Belgian. Unfortunately for Mpetshi Perricard, the crowd's vociferous support wasn't enough, as Goffin won the match 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-7(4), 6-3.

Following the conclusion of the match, Goffin revealed that the crowd had resorted to insulting him throughout the three-and-a-half-hour contest. The Belgian also said that one of the people in the crowd spat gum at him.

"When you're insulted for 3.5 hours, you have to annoy the public a little. Clearly, it goes too far. It's total disrespect. Some people are there more to make a mess than to make a mess of things. Atmosphere today, someone spat their gum at me," Goffin said. (Translated from French).

Tennis fans on X (formerly Twitter) were left fuming once Goffin's admission caught their eye. One set of fans blatantly criticized the French Open crowd and wondered how people could behave in such a way with David Goffin, who is widely regarded as one of the nicest players on the ATP Tour.

"As usual, RG (Roland Garros) has the worst crowd (USO close second)... Goffin is probably one of the nicest people on tour, for someone to spit on him is just beyond me," one fan wrote.

"When David Goffin complains, you know things are seriously bad and 100 times worse than he described....," another fan commented.

"The crowd was so wild that they manage to bother David Goffin, I mean DAVID GOFFIN that's basically a prince and NEVER COMPLAINS. You're disgusting, guys," another fan chimed in.

Another set of fans opined that hooliganism in tennis needs to come to an end.

"Hooligans have no place in this sport," wrote one fan.

"That’s terrible and the tournament needs to get hold of the situation now before it worsens," commented another fan.

"Is anyone suprised? Its the French in Paris, bunch of weirdos as Stefanos Tsitsipas rightly said," yet another fan wrote.

"I think that it only happens in France" - David Goffin compared French Open crowd to audiences at other Grand Slams

David Goffin at a press conference

David Goffin went on to compare the audiences at the French Open to those at other Grand Slams. The Belgian said that the hostile behavior of the French crowd was unique, and that such hostility is rarely seen at the other Majors.

"A lot of people are complaining. It's the echo that there is in the locker room and in the ATP authorities. I think that it only happens in France. At Wimbledon there is not that .In Australia either. The US Open is rather quiet here," Goffin said (translated from French).

Next up for David Goffin at the French Open is a meeting with World No. 4 Alexander Zverev, who progressed to the second round after eliminating Rafael Nadal. Zverev narrowly leads the head-to-head against Goffin 3-2.

Whoever out of the two wins, will face either 26th seed Tallon Griekspoor or Luciano Darderi in the third round of the French Open.