Aggressive Bettors to Be Ejected from Italian Open Tennis Matches

^{Pictured: Jakub Mensik confronts fans during his match at the Italian Open}

Spectators verbally abusing players at the Italian Open over lost bets will be removed from the tournament grounds, organizers said this week, according to Barron’s.

Several matches at the Rome-based tournament, which runs from May 6 to 18 on outdoor clay courts, were disrupted after bettors in the crowd shouted insults at players in an attempt to swing the momentum in favor of their wagers.

Specific incidents were recorded during the Alex De Minaur vs. Luca Nardi and Jakub Mensik vs. Fabian Maroszan matches.

“We simply find it unacceptable for this activity to have any point of contact with professional tennis matches. FITP (the Italian tennis federation) will ensure that the persons identified as being responsible for disruptive activities never set foot in a facility hosting a Federal event again,” said Italian Open tournament director Paolo Lorenzi.

Tennis has long been a betting favorite. According to data released by Entain earlier this year, the sport ranks second in live betting volume in both the U.S. and the UK. That popularity often leads to frustrated bettors lashing out at players. Several years ago, top tennis bodies joined forces to push back against the rise in online threats and abusive messages sent to athletes by unhappy gamblers.