NEW YORK: Coco Gauff is through to her first US Open final, but only after her last-four match against Karolina Muchova was suspended for 45 minutes when a protester glued his feet to the floor in the stands, reported German news agency (dpa).
American teenager Gauff’s 6-4, 7-5 victory was overshadowed by a small group of spectators wearing T-shirts bearing the words “end fossil fuels” who began shouting, forcing the match to be stopped.
Gauff and Czech 10th seed Muchova initially stayed on the court for 10 minutes while security tried to deal with the situation.
The Arthur Ashe crowd at one point began chanting “kick them out” with the protesters apparently being difficult to shift despite being surrounded by 12 police officers.
It soon became apparent that while three of the protesters had been removed, a fourth had glued his feet to the concrete.
“Are they like talking to them, or are they going to remove them?” Gauff asked chair umpire Alison Hughes and tournament referee Jake Garner.
She then spoke to her coach, Brad Gilbert, saying: “They say they are negotiating, like it’s a hostage situation. What should I do?”
Gilbert was then heard to shout at Garner: “This is a joke, Jake.”
Both players eventually left the court with Gauff leading 6-4, 1-0.
They returned at 8.50 pm (0050 GMT) when the fourth protester had finally been removed, and after a warm-up, play resumed 50 minutes after the last point.
A statement from the United States Tennis Association reads: “Following the first game of the second set in the Gauff-Muchova match, play was halted due to a protest conducted by four spectators.
“The fourth protester had affixed their bare feet to the floor of the seating bowl. NYPD and medical personnel were needed in order to safely remove this individual from the stadium.”
Muchova had treatment on what appeared to be an abdominal injury during the stoppage. She saved a match point on the Gauff serve and five more on her own in the next game.
But Gauff converted at the sixth attempt when Muchova went long to reach her second grand slam final.
“Thank you guys, this is crazy,” she told the crowd. “I grew up watching this tournament, so it means a lot to be in the final.” – BERNAMA-dpa
