Everyone loves a great crowd and atmosphere but the Australian Open has been blighted by a minority of fans yelling out during serves and points.
Most of the time it’s an intoxicated Kevin from Thomastown who is trying to get heard by his mates watching on the television at home.
Or a Karen from Monbulk has had a few too many champagnes and can’t keep herself under control during a point.
Isolated incidents aren’t really an issue but the real problems come when heroes keep repeating their boorish behaviour.
On countless occasions, chair umpires have had to address the same intoxicated and unruly individuals on multiple occasions during a match.
But rarely, if ever, do security officials give the louts a warning, or seldom kick the offending fans out.
While Danielle Collins’ reaction was probably over the top, the outspoken American reached breaking point from the disrespectful behaviour showed by some supporters.
And it was interesting that 10-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic sided with Collins against the Aussie crowds.
“I heard some comments of people that she (Collins) shouldn’t have said that or that,” Djokovic said. “I think she handled it really well.
“I don’t think I would be that polite, and I know exactly the feeling. So I think she was funny, smart, and just big fan of what she did. Big fan.”
There is a simple solution for Tennis Australia to start reducing the disrespectful and distracting behaviour – start ejecting fans out of Melbourne Park.
Some fans have paid hundreds of dollars for tickets to prime matches – the threat of removal from the precinct should be enough to curb some of the poor behaviour.
The Australian Open should have the best crowds in world tennis, not the most disrespectful.
