Why French Open fans are the most annoying in tennis as Andy Roddick offers explainer

French Open fans are a little different to most in tennis – and not for positive reasons.

While most sports encourage raucous behaviour from those who pay their hard earned cash to buy a seat, there is an expectation that the folks who turn up to watch tennis have some vague appreciation of the etiquette around the sport.

Essentially, you can shout and scream with as much audible velocity as you see fit when the points and games are finished, but when the players are in the process of trading blows, you are expected to stay quiet.

Sadly, the French Open crowds have never got the memo about this and once again, the 2024 event has been marred by annoying fans doing their best to ruin the matches.

The relentless desperation from some spectators to take the limelight away from the players is a long-standing issue with Roland Garros fans and they are also unique in the way they react to any player daring to question an umpire’s call, even if they are right to voice their objection.

The constant interruptions from attention-seeking spectators show a total lack of respect for the athletes trying to perform on court, with world No 1 Iga Swiatek forced to appeal to fans to stay quiet during points after her epic second round win against Naomi Osaka.

“The players are trying to focus and perform at our best to please you,” she said in an on-court plea.

“You’ve paid money and we’re playing for money and a point here and there can make all the difference.

“I have huge respect for you guys and I know that we are playing basically for you because this is entertainment and we are also earning money because of you.

“Sometimes under a lot of pressure, when you scream something during the rally or right before the return, it’s really, really hard to be focused. I usually don’t bring this up because I want to be this kind of player that is really in the zone and really focused.”

“We’re fighting our whole lives to be better and better and sometimes it’s just hard to accept that because the stakes are big and there’s a lot of money here to win.

“So losing a few points may change a lot. Please, guys, if you can support us between the rallies, but not during, that would be really, really amazing.”

That plea was greeted with a mixture of boos and cheers from spectators who don’t appear to appreciate criticism of their own behaviour, yet French Open officials have already taken measures to try and address the unruly behaviour by banning alcohol in the stands after incidents at the start of the tournament.

Iga Swiatek told she is ‘very lucky’ and ‘cannot complain’ about French Open fans by rival

Tournament director Amelie Mauresmo also said security has been beefed up and umpires instructed to be stricter with the crowd during the match.

“Alcohol was until now authorised in the stands. Now it’s over,” said Mauresmo.

“The umpires are really going to be even more strict to further respect to the players and respect the game.

“This is something that we’re not going to tolerate, to overstep these two things. That’s for sure. So umpires have quite an important role in this matter.

“And definitely in terms of security, we’re going to try to see which people are maybe making (trouble), because I think it’s a few individuals at some point that are overstepping.”

Former US Open champion Andy Roddick has also stepped into the debate, as he refused to hold back in his verbal assault on fans who don’t understand the impact they can have on tennis players in the latest edition of his Served podcast.

“We boo in every sport. You say something horrible, like over the line, there should be a talking to and you should get kicked out. We all agree with that,” said Roddick.

“I get asked a lot. We move around during baseball and yell during the play. You can’t hear a pitcher throw a baseball.

“Our first tell as tennis players is the sound coming off the other person’s racket. If it’s a slice, if it’s off centre… we need to be able to hear the ball.

“We can’t have people moving. Anut Sue in her bright yellow f***ing sweater moving… we have to be able to hear it! Boo away.”

French Open fans are unlikely to pay any attention to Roddick’s comments as getting their fellow spectators to join in with their chants appears to be the primary reason why they show up at Roland Garros.

With this in mind, it’s safe to assume most players will be pleased to get to the more measured surroundings of Wimbledon when the third Grand Slam of the tennis year gets underway on July 1.