Lorenzo Musetti met by 'boos and jeers' in China Open after controversial outburst goes viral

Lorenzo Musetti has come under fire in recent times after falling out with the Chinese tennis fans after he lambasted them for coughing in his first-round victory over Giovanni Mpetshi-Perricard. The supporters let him know what they thought of him in his second-round match of the China Open.

The Italian had come off a disappointing final defeat in the Chengdu Open againat qualifier Alejandro Tabilo, losing a tiebreaker in the third set. Now in Beijing, he is looking to keep up his good form, and started in the right manner, beating Mpetshi-Perricard in three sets.

However, it was not the result that took precedence, but the outburst from Musetti that angered the fans that hit the headlines. He stated out loud that the fans were coughing every few minutes, distracting him while he tried to play his game.

This went viral online, causing huge controversy in China, where they did not take too kindly to his actions. The two-time Grand Slam semi-finalist issued a statement in Instagram apologising to the fans about his actions, but it has not seem to have done the trick.

Musetti would come up against another Frenchman in the round-of-16, this time in the form of Adrian Mannarino. When entering the Lotus Court, the 37-year-old received a few cheers and claps, before letting out a raucous of boos and jeers aimed directly towards the Italian as he wandered to his chair.

The 23-year-old raced into a 3-0 lead early on, winning nine of the first ten points. It would remain on serve for the rest of the set, with Musetti taking his first set point. He went a break ahead once more in the second set, but this time Mannarino would reply with a more positive result, breaking straight back and keeping the pressure on. In the end, Musetti was too good, breaking once more a few games later to, before claiming victory with his first match point, winning 6-3, 6-3.

Throughout the match there were some boos and coughs, but nothing which would force Musetti into another reaction like the outburst he previously endured. After the match, there was a mix of boos and cheers from the supporters, with some not accepting his heartfelt apology.

Musetti, feeling bad for the chaos he created, signed the lens of the camera saying 'sorry' before signing fans memorabilia on the way out of the court, surrounded by five guards. He will be hoping for a nicer reception in his quarter-final tie against Learner Tien, with fellow Italian Jannik Sinner possibly awaiting him in the final if the pair make it that far.

This is not the only time that players have been in hot water with the Chinese citizens in 2025. Before the Musetti drama, Taylor Townsend found herself in a spot of bother after comments stated about Chinese cuisine. Competing for the USA in the Billie Jean King Cup, Townsend was invited along with her teammates to dinner, with Chinese dishes being offered. The number two ranked doubles player was not impressed with what was on offer, making controversial comments while filming it and releasing it on social media.

It caused a huge reaction within the country, with many furious about the comments, which were seen as racist and offensive. When stepping onto the court with Jessica Pegula in their doubles clash against Kazakhstan, the pair were heckled with boos and jeers, all aimed towards Townsend.

This backlash has led to her dropping out of the to WTA 1000 events in China, despite releasing an apology on her social media.