A protester found their way also into the 2024 Australian Open, interrupting the play in a match between Alexander Zverev and Cameron Norrie.
Due to their prestige, Grand Slam tournaments are often not only the showcase of the best tennis in the world but also different fashion statements from players, but also other statements from players, who sometimes use the platform since the tournaments are watched by millions.
However, the men and women who thousands of fans come to watch are often not the only ones making a statement. Some fans, or rather spectators, abuse the prestige of these tournaments to steal a minute of fame for themselves, or rather the cause they find important.
Only recently, protesters glued themselves onto their seats at the US Open, and during the Wimbledon Championship, some protesters threw confetti onto the tennis courts.
They wanted to raise awareness about climate issues, and the movement Just Stop Oil even warned Wimbledon about their protests. However, the protest at the 2024 Australian Open had a different cause.
After Zverev won the opening set 7-5, and Norrie fought back in the second set to win it 6-3 and level the score of the match, it was again the German who was leading 4-1 in the third set with his sight set on a 2-1 lead.
However, his momentum was stopped by one of the protesters, who, out of nowhere, started throwing flyers onto the tennis court, leaving both players surprised by what was going on.
Soon, cameras found the flyers, which read "Free Palestine" signalizing that this time, the protester was trying to raise awareness about a different issue, a political one.
Ultimately, after a short delay, the person was removed from the stadium, the flyers were collected from the court, and the play could continue.
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