WATCH: Unreal scenes as gunfire & tear gas disrupt play; police stationed outside after Brazzaville Challenger chaos

The ATP Challenger Tour organizers were forced to take to social media to explain shocking scenes at their Brazzaville tour event. Play got suspended for more than ten minutes during a match between Guy Den Ouden and Ivan Denisov when gunshots were heard on a road adjacent to their court.

Brazzaville is in the Democratic Republic of Congo, currently rife with political unrest. Rebel groups in DR Congo itself and neighboring Rwanda have fomented violent demonstrations that have spilled into the streets of DR Congo. Since January the country has been in turmoil. Cameras following the match picked up people gathering on the nearby street before loud gunshots were heard, followed by people screaming.

One tennis fan took to X (formerly Twitter) to share the video of the incident and his version of events, posting:

"(tw//tear gas, shooting) Oh my God, did I just see probs tear gas delayed play in Brazzaville Ch because - the matches resumed alr as I speak, just brief interruption. But idk why it felt like tear gas to me but idk??"

The ensuing chaos also forced the ATP Challenger Tour to clarify on X (formerly Twitter) with a timely response. They suggested that the commotion was caused not by rioters, but by a nearby police academy engaged in mock drills. In an attempt to restore calm the Tour posted:

"We can confirm that play was temporarily suspended today at the Brazzaville Challenger in the Republic of Congo due to a routine training exercise conducted by a nearby police academy. The suspension lasted approximately 10 minutes, after which play resumed without issue."

However, The Tour's statement failed to adequately explain the images that could be seen from the court. Tear gas appeared to have been used, and people were heard screaming as the incident unfolded at the venue. However, a match between Eliakim Coulibaly and Maik Steiner continued uninterrupted in a nearby court.

Tennis motors along amid ongoing tension in Democratic Republic of Congo

NSW Tennis Open - Source: Getty

The Democratic Republic of Congo has been the epicenter of violent uprisings in recent weeks, with the US, Dutch, and Belgian embassies all becoming targets of attacks as reported by The Sun. When the shootings in Brazzaville occurred it was first thought that they might be related to a separate incident reported the day before.

Den Ouden, the World's No. 270, claimed that his phone was "stolen" in Brazzaville, prompting organizers to beef up security at the event. However, after the Challenger Tour's new statement, it can be argued that those fears were misplaced. Notably, the disruption forced Ouden and his opponent Denisov to discontinue their fixture for 10 minutes. They resumed their match, which Ouden won 6-1, 6-3.