August 05, (THEWILL) – Taylor Fritz was left frustrated with climate activists’ methods of protest, following a brief interruption during his Washington Open match against Andy Murray on Friday.
The match was halted when protesters threw large tennis balls with flames printed on them onto the court and unfurled banners in the stands, urging sponsors to stop funding the fossil fuel industry. Fritz said: “I get they’re protesting, but there’s just got to be a better way to do it. I don’t understand how people are going to get behind a cause when you’re ruining everyone else’s good time. Like, it doesn’t really make sense to me.”
As THEWILL previously reported, climate change activists have been making their presence felt in various sports events, including Wimbledon, the Ashes cricket test at Lord’s, the Premiership Rugby final, the World Snooker Championship, golf’s British Open, and the Grand National horse race.
Fritz remarked that their disruptive methods might not garner the desired attention and understanding from the public. He humorously quipped that the interruptions might even make him want to fly on jets more, harping on the unintended consequences of such actions.
After the interruption of his match against Murray, Fritz returned in the evening to secure a convincing victory over Jordan Thompson, earning him a spot in the semi-finals. As he prepares to face Tallon Griekspoor, the American player hopes that climate activists will consider alternative and less disruptive ways to voice their concerns effectively.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
