Laura Robson believes 2023 French Open crowd ‘finding that balance’ with boos for players

Laura Robson believes that the booing at the French Open this year has helped produce some classic matches.

Novak Djokovic, Ons Jabeur, Taylor Fritz and more have experienced the febrile atmosphere generated by the explicitly partisan crowd at Roland-Garros.

While the French supporters are usually expected to boo the rivals of French players during matches, the 2023 edition has seen some players booed for taking medical timeouts, for checking the net cords, and other routine actions during matches.

On the other hand, lower profile players have received plenty of support and there was a rousing reception for home favourite Gael Monfils.

Discussing the phenomenon on Eurosport before Saturday’s action began, Alize Lim and Robson wondered if there were some benefits.

Lim asked: “Players usually enjoy playing in a fired-up stadium and having electric atmospheres, but has it been too much at times?”

Robson replied: “It’s certainly passionate. That was the right word which was used in that clip. Sometimes you feel like they don’t really know what they’re booing for.

“Like the net cord situation, where it’s not the players fault. There’s nothing wrong with doing it, as Ons [Jabeur] said, and yet they’re booing for the sake of booing almost.”

She added: “And yet we’ve had some of the most unbelievable matches this week because of the atmosphere that the crowd has brought to the match, and I think they’re super-educated in a way, because they get pumped up for people who are lower ranked, they’re not sticking to Chatrier, the atmosphere on the outside grounds has been really phenomenal. I think it’s finding that balance really.

“I wouldn’t want to be playing a French person at Roland-Garros but it’s tricky, because that match with Monfils, how good was that? You don’t get that sort of energy without a bit of booing. So far I think it’s actually OK.”

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