Tennis

Protester sets his arm on fire during Laver Cup match in London

Match was interrupted by spectator on court wearing ‘End UK Private Jets’ shirt

A climate change activist protests against UK private jets by lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London. Photograph: EPA
George Sessions, PA
Fri Sept 23 2022 - 17:38

The opening session of this year’s Laver Cup in London was overshadowed when a protester set fire to his arm during the match between Stefanos Tsitsipas and Diego Schwartzman.

Tsitsipas clinched the first set by a 6-2 score and during the changeover at O2, a spectator ran on to the court and set his arm on fire.

The protestor was wearing a T-shirt which read “End UK Private Jets” and was quickly dragged out of the court after water had been poured on his burning arm. After a brief delay, the match, the second of day one, was able to resume.

Tsitsipas went on to win the match 6-2, 6-1 and give Team Europe a 2-0 lead over the Rest of the World in the competition after Casper Ruud had earlier beaten Jack Sock 6-4, 5-7, 10-7.

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Swiss great Roger Federer is due to take to the court later in the day for the final match of his career, with the 41-year-old partnering his great rival Rafael Nadal to face the American duo of Sock and Frances Tiafoe.