A fervent tennis fan, known for his enthusiastic support of Emma Raducanu, was ejected from the Australian Open for being too disruptive. James Bray gained attention after Raducanu acknowledged him following her triumph over Mananchaya Sawangkaew.
During the match, Bray, donning an ‘Australia’ tank top, affectionately referred to Raducanu as ‘Raddo’. In her post-match interview, Raducanu thanked him and humorously accepted the new nickname. However, Bray’s experience took a downturn when his vocal cheering for Alex de Minaur led to his removal from the Rod Laver Arena for being excessively rowdy.
In a social media post, Bray shared his expulsion from the event, showing police officers instructing him to leave for 24 hours and imposing a fine. Despite the setback, Bray sarcastically expressed gratitude for being kicked out for his exuberance.
Although disappointed, Bray found the situation somewhat amusing as he documented his departure from the venue. He recounted feeling perplexed by the incident, emphasizing his respectful behavior and genuine support for the players.
Tennis Australia confirmed that Bray had received warnings before his ejection due to disruptive conduct. Security and police intervened after multiple complaints from spectators regarding his behavior.
Victoria Police reported that Bray was one of 21 individuals removed from the event for various behavioral issues. Despite this, overall crowd behavior at the Australian Open was commended, with authorities looking forward to a positive atmosphere for the remainder of the tournament.