A Crying Baby Derailed a Tennis Match and the Internet Is Divided
Tennis fans are used to drama on the court, but the Cincinnati Open in August 2025 delivered something no one expected: a crying baby that briefly stole the spotlight from two of the world’s best players. During a heated clash between Emma Raducanu and Aryna Sabalenka, the usual tension of long rallies and tie-break points was interrupted by an infant’s wails echoing through the stadium.
What started as a funny exchange with the umpire quickly turned into a viral debate, leaving fans divided on whether Emma was right to call attention to the distraction or if she should have simply played on.
A Match Interrupted
The British player, who was preparing to serve during a tense third set, briefly paused and pointed out that the noise had been going on for “10 minutes.” Her frustration prompted an unusual exchange with the umpire, who asked, “Do you want me to send the child out of the stadium?” The crowd quickly shouted “yes,” and Emma raised her racket with a smile, appearing to agree. Despite the playful moment, the match carried on without interruption.
The incident occurred amid sweltering Ohio heat, where on the same day, French player Arthur Rinderknech collapsed due to temperatures exceeding 86°F. Emma eventually lost the marathon match after three hours of play, 7-6(3), 4-6, 7-6(5), with Aryna advancing and earning $60,400 in prize money. Although Emma’s performance was praised as one of her best since her 2021 U.S. Open triumph, the crying baby quickly became the headline of the day.
Fans Split Online
The debate over Emma’s reaction spread across social media almost as quickly as the clip itself. Many viewers sympathized and argued that in sports like tennis and golf, silence is crucial since a single point can decide the outcome. They felt parents should have stepped out with the baby to respect the players and the audience. Others pointed out the oppressive heat, questioning why anyone would bring an infant to such conditions in the first place.
But critics saw things differently and even suggested that Emma should have kept her composure. Some called her reaction “diva behavior,” while others poked fun and said she was “more distracting than the baby.” One user even joked that the real child in the stadium was Emma herself. These opposing takes fueled a lively back-and-forth, showing just how divided the internet was over whether she had a right to speak up.
A History of Crying Babies in Tennis
Image via Wikimedia Commons/Edwin Martine
This was not the first time the sport has been interrupted by a wailing spectator. Back in 2011, Spanish player David Ferrer made headlines at the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami when he lobbed a forehand ball in the direction of a crying child. Ferrer later lost his match to Mardy Fish, but the moment lived on as one of the sport’s strangest interactions with crowd noise. Compared to that, Emma’s reaction, shrugging and smiling at the crowd, seems tame, though equally memorable.
What The Players Said
While Emma’s exchange with the umpire became the viral highlight, Aryna praised her opponent’s overall performance after the match. “She played incredible,” she told Tennis Channel, and acknowledged how Emma pushed her to a third-set tiebreak. The two players had battled through 13 deuces during one game alone. The interruption might have been frustrating, but it didn’t diminish the high-quality tennis on display.
Emma, for her part, appeared to take the situation lightly because she smiled through the crowd’s reaction. Still, she had earlier frustrations with the umpire when she was warned for approaching her coach, Francis Roig, mid-match.