Coughing Controversy: Musetti's Shanghai Masters Plea

Lorenzo Musetti, the Italian tennis player ranked number nine in the world, has once again found himself at the center of controversy. This time, it happened during the Shanghai Masters, where he urged the chair umpire to intervene after spectators began coughing disruptively between his serves. The incident occurred on Wednesday, days after Musetti had publicly apologized for criticizing fans' behavior at a prior tournament in Beijing.

During his fourth-round matchup in Shanghai against Felix Auger-Aliassime, the 23-year-old tennis star requested assistance from umpire Adel Nour, noticing persistent coughing from the crowd each time he prepared to serve. "Come on, it happens on every point," Musetti expressed in frustration, as it appeared to affect his performance, ultimately leading to a 6-4, 6-2 defeat.

Musetti took to Instagram after his Beijing comments, expressing regret and clarifying his words were directed at specific individuals, not the Chinese people. He noted the remarks were made in stress and tension. Similar controversies have arisen with other players, including American Taylor Townsend, who apologized for comments on food quality at a recent Shenzhen event.

(With inputs from agencies.)