Tennis: Grumbling Wawrinka Takes Aim At French Minister

PARIS, Nov 4 (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 04th Nov, 2016 ) : US Open champion Stan Wawrinka traded verbal volleys with a French government minister after taking exception to crowd noise during his second-round match at the Paris Masters.

Wawrinka singled out a spectator in the front row at the Paris Bercy arena, said to be former senator Jean-Vincent Place, to reprimand him for being too loud during Wednesday's defeat to Germany's Jan-Lennard Struff.

"Oh, do you mind if we play a match? No, but seriously.

..it's midnight, if you don't want to watch us go home," snapped Wawrinka, according to footage aired by Canal+. However, Place told AFP on Thursday that he wasn't sure the Swiss star's anger was directed squarely at him.

"There was a hubbub in the stands and as I was in the first row...it's true that at midnight everyone is a bit distracted. "We were talking with (French Tennis Federation president) Jean Gachassin, but honestly we weren't shouting. Frankly, I'm not sure it was addressed to me in particular."