A fervent follower of tennis, who gained online fame for supporting Emma Raducanu, has been ejected from the Australian Open for disruptive behavior. James Bray, who made headlines when Raducanu acknowledged him after her recent win, was identified by the British player for his enthusiastic backing during the match.
Throughout Raducanu’s victory, Bray, donning an ‘Australia’ tank top, affectionately referred to her as ‘Raddo’. In her post-match interview, Raducanu expressed gratitude for his support, dubbing him as her new nickname and inviting him to attend all her future matches.
Despite his newfound celebrity status, Bray’s enthusiasm took a negative turn during Friday’s matches at the Rod Laver Arena. While cheering for Alex de Minaur against Frances Tiafoe, his vocal support was deemed excessive, leading to his removal from the venue.
Bray documented the incident on his Instagram story, showing police officers instructing him to leave for 24 hours and imposing a fine. He sarcastically remarked on social media about being expelled for being too rowdy at the tournament.
After being escorted out, Bray shared his disappointment at being ejected despite his positive support for the players. Tennis Australia confirmed that Bray had received verbal warnings before his removal due to disruptive behavior that affected other spectators.
Victoria Police also intervened, stating that 21 individuals were evicted from the tennis precinct for various incidents, including disruptive behavior. Despite this, overall crowd behavior at the Australian Open was commended by authorities, with an expectation of continued positive engagement from fans for the remainder of the event.