A U.S. Open crowd intervened Sunday morning, successfully encouraging the ejection of two hecklers who repeatedly targeted tennis player Jakub Mensik during his match on Louis Armstrong Stadium. The crowd chanted "Kick them out" after Mensik stopped play in the fourth set due to the disruptions. Security removed one fan, while another left voluntarily.
Mensik was ultimately defeated by American Learner Tien in a five-set match. Tien, 20, acknowledged the crowd's support, stating he was unsure if he would have won without their presence. The match concluded with scores of 6-3, 1-6, 6-7, 6-3, 6-4 in favor of Tien.
Tien's victory advances him to the Round of 16, where he will face Karen Khachanov. This marks the youngest American man to reach this stage at the U.S. Open since Andy Roddick in 2002. Tien also reached the quarterfinals in Australia earlier this year, his best result at a major tournament. He won his second ATP title in Geneva in May and has reached a world ranking as high as 12th.
Fan behavior has been a recurring theme at this year's U.S. Open, with other incidents including influencers creating content during play and players being distracted by external factors. Tien's path in the tournament may see him face No. 1 Alexander Zverev in the semifinals, with a draw that has seen several upsets.