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.
