"Somewhere Daniil Medvedev is crying tears of joy and is so proud" - Tennis fans react to Taylor Fritz shushing the French Open crowd after R2 win

Taylor Fritz’s rare flare-up against a hostile French Open 2023 crowd has caught the attention of tennis fans.

On Thursday, June 1, Taylor Fritz got the better of Arthur Rinderknech in the second round of the French Open. But the American had to deal with an boisterous crowd from the get-go. The home supporters were vocal in their support for Rinderknech, the last remaining Frenchman in the draw.

Fritz got off to a slow start as he tried to get used to the noisy conditions. He rediscovered his best tennis after losing the opener 2-6 and put on a dominant display to win the next three sets 6-4, 6-3, 6-4.

Despite the victory, the 25-year-old was visibly upset with the persistent crowd interference. He let out his frustration after converting match point, trying to shush them by putting a finger to his lips.

Taylor Fritz’s on-court interview thereafter was interrupted, as the provoked crowd got even louder upon noticing his silencing gesture. Arthur Rinderknech himself did not take well to the American’s gesture and drew a heart on the clay in appreciation of the crowd's support.

Several tennis fans on social media, however, sided with Fritz and expressed their displeasure with the French Open crowd’s conduct.

“After watching the Taylor Fritz and Arthur Rinderknech, it is clear the French fans need a behavior management fresher,” one fan said.

Several fans praised Fritz for his reaction, having noticed other players such as Daniil Medvedev facing similar conditions. One fan remembered Andrey Rublev's second-round match against France's Corentin Moutet, where the Russian was subjected to similar treatment.

“I don’t blame Fritz for this reaction. Rublev went through the same treatment yesterday. And honestly, I feel like the players have every right to react like this. If these fans feel ‘big’ enough to give it out, then they have to learn to take it,” the fan said.

Here are a few more reactions from tennis fans:

---

"It's hard to understand unless you've walked in his shoes" – John Millman backs Taylor Fritz's actions at French Open 2023

John Millman jumped to Taylor Fritz's defense after the American's display of anger towards the Parisian crowd. The French Open crowd has become infamous for its hostility towards athletes over the years, and Millman empathized with Fritz for having to face the music.

"It’s hard to understand unless you’ve walked in his shoes. For the entire match he’d have been trying to hold it together, trying not to give the crowd any more ammo to use. That’s a lot of built up emotion he’s letting out at the end there," John Millman said.

Despite the tough conditions, Taylor Fritz will be relieved to make it to the third round. This is his best result at Roland Garros, which he also achieved back in 2020.

The 25-year-old will next face Argentina's Francisco Cerundolo on Saturday, June 3, in hopes of bettering his French Open record.