The U.S. Open semi-final match between Coco Gauff and Karolína Muchová was brought to a standstill on Thursday night at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
The interruption came as environmental activists made their presence known in a striking protest against fossil fuels.
N.Y.P.D. arrested the protesters
The match had reached a critical point with Gauff leading 6-4, 1-0 when play came to an abrupt halt, lasting for a grueling 40 minutes.
The disruption was orchestrated by activists within the Arthur Ashe Stadium stands who wore shirts that boldly declared, “End Fossil Fuels.”
The situation escalated when one protester took an unusual step by gluing their feet to the ground, making removal more challenging, according to a U.S. Tennis Association spokesperson.
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Amidst the chaos, tournament referee Jake Garner made his way onto the court, while security personnel approached the protesters.
At least two protesters were eventually removed from the stadium by N.Y.P.D. as fans nearby cheered, impatient for the game to restart.
During the extended delay, Gauff and Muchová went to their seats but since the interruption lasted more than what they initially expected, they ended up going to the locker room to wait it out.
Not the first protest in a tennis match
This incident is the latest in a series of climate protests at sporting events
At Wimbledon in July, activists disrupted two matches by leaping out of the stands and throwing orange confetti on the court.
Last month, at a U.S. Open tune-up tournament in Washington, around a dozen people were asked to leave the site due to chanting and displaying signs against the use of fossil fuels.
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