Tennis star issues grovelling apology to fans who booed him off court at China Open | Tennis | Sport

Lorenzo Musetti has issued an apology to the fans who booed him at the China Open following his retirement from Monday’s quarter-final clash against Learner Tien. Musetti took the first set against the American, but was quickly pegged back by Tien in the second.

At the time of his retirement, Tien was 3-0 up in the third, with the decision to leave the court greeted with boos by the locals. Musetti wasn’t wiped out by the fitness concern, but he had shown signs of discomfort in the second set, with suggestions the 23-year-old didn’t want to risk any further damage after Tien broke his serve.

Commenting on the incident afterwards, Musetti held his hands up, asking for forgiveness from the disappointed fans. He said: “I’m very sorry because I had played an excellent first set against a very dangerous opponent. I was managing the match in the best way and I’m disappointed with how the clash ended, I definitely had a good chance to reach the semifinals and earn more points.

“I started to feel discomfort in my left leg at the beginning of the second set and I started to play more passively, then the extent of the problem worsened in the following games. I don’t think it’s a serious injury and I hope to recover in time for the Shanghai tournament.”

Musetti was already in the bad books of the locals after criticising their etiquette during a match against Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in Beijing. He was heard saying: “These [expletive] Chinese are always coughing.”

It was a comment that landed him in hot water, forcing the French Open semi-finalist into what proved his first apology of the week. He said: “I am truly sorry. I respect you deeply, I feel at home here, and I value the warmth and kindness I have always received from you.

“I would like to sincerely apologise for what I said in frustration yesterday during my match. My words were directed only at a few individuals in the crowd who were coughing repeatedly and disturbing the play. They were never, in any way, meant for the Chinese people. It happened in a moment of stress and tension in the second tiebreak, but still, this is no excuse at all.”

It comes ahead of a crucial few weeks for Musetti, given he’s still in the hunt for a spot at the ATP Finals later this year. Currently ranked ninth in the world (the top eight players at the cutoff qualify), Musetti’s attention will quickly switch towards the upcoming Shanghai Masters 1000 – another reason he likely wanted to keep himself fresh.