Lorenzo Musetti has become the latest player to issue an apology for making comments about home fans at the China Open, which some perceived to be insulting.
The world No.9 landed himself in hot water during his first round clash against France’s Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, whom he defeated in three sets. During the second set tiebreak, an annoyed Musetti was seen mocking a person clearing their throat and said in Italian, ‘They cough every three seconds.’ He was then accused of mouthing ‘damn Chinese’ by the national newspaper The Paper, according to the AFP Press agency.
After videos of the incident were uploaded on social media, some have accused the Italian of racism and disrespecting local fans. The state-owned Global Times reported that the incident caused ‘controversy on social media both in China and abroad.’
“My words were directed only at a few individuals in the crowd who were coughing repeatedly and disturbing the play,” Musetti wrote in an Instagram post on Saturday.
“They were never, in any way, meant for the Chinese people.
“It happened in a moment of stress and tension in the second tiebreak, but still, this is no excuse at all.
“I realise that the way I expressed myself was wrong and inappropriate, and it hurt many Chinese fans’ feelings.”
It is not the first time a player has made remarks that have been seen as offensive by people in China. Earlier this month at the Billie Jean King Cup in Shenzhen, Taylor Townsend published a series of short videos on her Instagram account mocking the food provided to players. In one video, she said, “This is the craziest thing I’ve ever seen … and people eating this,” while filming local dishes such as frogs, turtles, and sea cucumbers. Townsend later apologized for her remarks.
In another incident, last year, Poland’s Magda Linette posted a photo on social media of her travelling from Beijing to Wuhan with the comment ‘the virus database has been updated.’ She was on her way to playing in Wuhan, which was hosting its first event since the COVID-19 pandemic. The virus is said to have originated in the city from a food market. During her match, she encountered some hostility from the crowd.
Musetti, who is seeded fourth at the China Open, will play Adrian Mannarino in his next match on Sunday.
