Sawt Falasteen - Munar slams crowd 'circus' after tough French Open loss

Munar battled from two sets down to force a fifth set against 14th seed Fils, going a break up in the decider before suffering a 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (7/4), 2-6, 0-6, 6-4 defeat.

Fils required treatment for a back problem but used the raucous atmosphere on Court Suzanne Lenglen to help him over the line and set up a third-round clash with Andrey Rublev.

"I'm going to be very clear on the subject and I'm not going to mince my words," said Munar.

"It's fine if they encourage the other player, if they shout, I'm used to it. In South America it's very intense as well.

"But what I consider a complete lack of respect - and here, it happens often - is that they sing non-stop, they interrupt continuously. And in the end it keeps the game from moving forward.

"It's not even a question of emotional or personal impact, it's simply that play cannot go on as normal."

The 28-year-old Munar, who has never gone beyond the second round of a Grand Slam, had to ask for quiet in the stands in the final game as he served to stay in the match.

Instead, Fils broke to claim victory after four hours and 25 minutes, leaving Munar with a bitter pill to swallow.

"It seems like a great show for the spectators, but you have to remember we're here to do our job. What it can't look like is a circus and there are times here it looks like theatre," he said.

"At the US Open it's a show but they understand sports differently. They can cheer a lot and have a sense of spectacle, but they never disrespect the players. In Australia it's similar.

"Here in Paris, it's a bit much. It would be good to calm things down a bit to let play go on more as it should."

T.Ibrahim--SF-PST