Iga Świątek begs French Open fans not to shout during points after thrilling victory against Naomi Osaka

Iga Świątek criticised the French Open crowd for shouting during points following her tense second-round victory against Naomi Osaka on Wednesday.

Świątek, the defending champion at Roland Garros, trailed by a break in the deciding set and had to save a match point in an enthralling contest with Osaka.

She eventually prevailed 7-6 (7-1) 1-6 7-5 on Court Philippe Chatrier, and then – unusually for a player known for her calm and reserved demeanor on the court – rebuked the crowd for distracting her during big points.

“I have huge respect for you guys and I know that we are playing basically for you because this is entertainment and we are also earning money because of you,” Świątek said in her on-court interview.

“But sometimes [we’re] under a lot of pressure. When you scream something during the rally or right before the return, it’s really, really hard to be focused … This is serious for us, we’re fighting our whole lives to be better and better and sometimes it’s just hard to accept that