A tennis enthusiast who gained online fame for supporting Emma Raducanu has been ejected from the Australian Open for disruptive behavior. James Bray made headlines when Raducanu acknowledged him after her match victory. Throughout the game, Bray, donning an ‘Australia’ tank top, cheered Raducanu by calling her ‘Raddo’. Despite his newfound celebrity status, Bray’s enthusiastic support for Alex de Minaur at the Rod Laver Arena was deemed excessively loud, resulting in his removal.
Sharing the incident on Instagram, Bray posted a video showing police officers instructing him to leave the event for 24 hours and imposing a fine of $700 (£354.88). In a sarcastic tone, he expressed his amusement at being removed for being too rowdy despite being a fan.
After being escorted out, Bray described the experience as amusing, mentioning that he had paid for a ticket to support de Minaur and had not engaged in disrespectful behavior. He claimed that security had intervened despite the positive atmosphere around him, leading to his eviction.
Tennis Australia confirmed that Bray had received multiple warnings before his removal due to disruptive behavior. They stated that despite several staff warnings, he persisted in disturbing other spectators and had to be escorted out by the police.
Victoria Police also provided insight, noting that 21 individuals were evicted from the tennis precinct for various behavioral incidents, with no major disturbances reported. They commended the overall good behavior of the crowd at the Australian Open and looked forward to a successful remainder of the event.