A couple of years ago, during the first week of the US Open, Jiri Lehecka’s efforts to find his rhythm were thrown off by a spectator who wouldn’t stop taunting him from nearby. “There was a guy sitting right behind my bench on a smaller court, court four, and he talked to me basically for the first three sets, non-stop,” Lehecka says. “He kept saying things like, ‘You can’t do it. You’re tired. He’s better than you.'”
Lehecka stayed calm and managed to win the match, but even while dealing with the intense pressure of competition, he felt he understood why this spectator was acting that way. He believes the man wasn’t just there to support his favorite player—he was a bettor who had wagered on Lehecka to lose. He had come to court four specifically to try to affect the outcome of the match.
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“At that moment, I used it as motivation, but just out of curiosity, I talked to the chair umpire and asked, ‘Do you think this is normal? Can you do something about it?'” says Lehecka. “The response wasn’t very strong. He said, ‘Yeah, I can’t do anything as long as he’s not insulting you.’ This person knew exactly where the line was. So it wasn’t a pleasant experience. I won that match, but I think as soon as you start working against the other player instead of just cheering for the one you bet on, that’s wrong.”
Disruptive gamblers in the stands have become a growing issue in tennis, adding another distraction for players to deal with. “I think we see this basically—I don’t want to say in every tournament, but in many, especially in Europe,” Lehecka says.
Players report seeing bettors at events worldwide, from the grand slams down to the lower-level World Tennis Tour, where their presence is even more noticeable because crowds are smaller. Some tournaments have become especially known for this. At the Italian Open, it’s now common to see spectators trying to get into players’ heads. The US Open is another event where players have repeatedly complained about disruptive gamblers.
Lorenzo Musetti, the Italian world No 14, agrees: “It’s happened many times, not just in Italy but all over the world. Unfortunately, this problem still exists. Sometimes in certain matches, it’s pretty clear that some people in the crowd have bet on someone and are cheering for a player who isn’t the home favorite, or they’re trying to disturb the game.”
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Jiri Lehecka at the US Open in 2024, when he was harassed by a spectator. Photograph: Marek Janikowski/Icon Sport/Getty Images
Last year, Swiss player Leandro Riedi angrily confronted someone he believed had bet on him to win, then reported him to the chair umpire. Naturally, this is a bigger problem for lower-ranked players who are assigned to smaller courts, where they’re much closer to spectators than top players on the main stages.
Betting is an unavoidable part of modern tennis, affecting every level of the sport with negative consequences everywhere. After every loss—and even wins—professional players can face abuse, threats, and hate speech on social media from gamblers. Betting is also at the heart of corruption in the sport, with many players over the years banned for throwing matches.
But this year’s US Open has pushed the issue further into the spotlight. On the eve of the tournament, the organization announced a partnership with Kalshi, a sports betting and prediction company that lets users make a wide range of predictions. Almost as soon as the deal was announced, the US Open sent push notifications from its app for articles sponsored by Kalshi offering match predictions. While players continue to deal with the negative side effects of betting, the tournament has now embraced it as a business partner.The US Open also benefits from the same betting culture that creates these problems. Right now, neither the ATP, the WTA, nor the grand slam tournaments have rules to deal with disruptive bettors. Umpires can only step in if a spectator becomes abusive. Players are divided on whether they should just accept this.
Some, like Musetti, believe the tennis authorities should do more. He says, “The only thing that we can do is try to avoid these people … the [tennis governing bodies] have to do something and have some security because we cannot do much on the court.”
Others feel they have to accept that bettors in the crowd are now part of the sport. Jakub Mensik says players simply have to deal with it: “Sometimes it’s so obvious you can see it,” he says. “It happens to me plenty of times but I know that I cannot do anything because [bettors], those kinds of people, sometimes they don’t know what to do with their lives. They’re just trying to enjoy it and wishing all the other players the worst so it’s part of the game. It’s basically already part of us, part of all of the athletes, and we just unfortunately have to manage it. There is no other way.”
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The prediction market platform Kalshi is now an official partner of the US Open. Photograph: Martin Lelievre/AFP/Getty Images
Tommy Paul, the American world No 21, also sees it as a normal part of professional sports: “I think it’s part of sports,” he says. “You never react to anything. It’s annoying, for sure. Everyone hears it. It’s not like what you want to be hearing at the back of the court, but it’s kind of what we signed up for.”
Other players are more defiant. During a recent match, Coco Gauff wondered if an extremely loud fan was a bettor, but she insists no unruly gambler can get into her head: “If they want to come, they can try and see if they can rattle me, but it won’t work.”
When asked if he has faced this issue in his matches, Frances Tiafoe responds with a mischievous laugh. “I haven’t gotten that,” he says, smiling. “Yeah. You don’t want me to have that. It would definitely hit headlines. Let me not even get into it. If that happened, it would be fun.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Here is a list of FAQs about how betting fans are disrupting tennis written in a natural tone with clear direct answers
General Beginner Questions
1 What exactly do you mean by betting fans are taking over tennis courts
It means the atmosphere at tennis matches is changing Instead of traditional quiet respectful crowds there are now large groups of fans who are primarily there to bet on the match They shout out odds celebrate when a bet wins and generally treat the match like a live casino game rather than a sporting event
2 Why are they so loud Isnt tennis supposed to be quiet
Yes tennis has strict rules about noise during points But these fans are often unaware or dont care about the etiquette They are used to the loud rowdy atmosphere of football or basketball so they cheer shout and chant at times that are very distracting to the players
3 What kind of things are these fans shouting
Usually they yell things like Come on I need you to win this game or Yes My bet is on They might also shout specific betting terms like Cash out or get angry and yell insults when a player makes a mistake that loses them money
4 How is this different from a normal passionate tennis fan
A normal fan is invested in the outcome of the match and the quality of the tennis A betting fan is invested in the specific outcome of a bet For example a normal fan cheers for a player to win the match A betting fan might cheer for a player to lose a specific game so they can win a game handicap bet which goes against the natural flow of support
5 Are betting companies encouraging this
Yes heavily They run aggressive advertising campaigns during tournaments and offer live betting apps that allow fans to place bets on every single point This makes the game more interactive for gamblers and encourages them to be vocal about their bets
Player Impact Problems
6 Does this actually affect the tennis players
Absolutely Players rely on intense concentration A shout right before a serve or during a rally can break their focus completely Top players have complained that the noise feels disrespectful and makes it much harder to play at their highest level
