During the Canadian Open 2025 men’s final between Ben Shelton and Karen Khachanov in Toronto, play was suddenly interrupted by loud cheers from the crowd. Shelton looked confused and asked the umpire what was going on.
The cheers weren’t for anything happening on his court, they were for Victoria Mboko, the 18-year-old Canadian who had just won the women’s final in Montreal by beating Naomi Osaka. The crowd’s reaction to Mboko’s win was so loud it stopped the men’s match for a moment.
Shelton later regained focus and defeated Khachanov in three sets to win his first ATP Masters 1000 title. Mboko’s victory was also special, marking her first WTA 1000 title and making her one of the rising stars of Canadian tennis.
It turned into a day to remember for both players, with Shelton making history for himself and Mboko sending Canadian fans into celebration mode.
'Bye Bye': Alexander Zverev Waves Off Heckler After Outplaying Alexei Popyrin In Fiery Canadian Open Quarterfinal; Video
Alexander Zverev’s quarterfinal win over Alexei Popyrin at the Canadian Open was not only about skill and grit on the court, it was also about composure in the face of unexpected off-court distraction.
The turning point of the match came not during a baseline rally or a set point, but in a bizarre moment when Zverev was serving for the match at 5–3, 30–0 in the final set. As the German star prepared to toss the ball, a spectator in the stands loudly interrupted with a shout, causing Zverev to falter and deliver his first double fault of the match after 14 consecutive flawless service points.
Unshaken, Zverev immediately addressed the situation, looking toward the stands and calmly requesting, “Can you please be quiet?” The chair umpire swiftly took control, and security removed the disruptive spectator to loud applause from the Toronto crowd. Just minutes later, after clinching the match point, Zverev turned back toward the section where the heckler had sat and waved, uttering a curt and clearly intended “bye-bye,” a moment that quickly went viral.
Zverev later confirmed that the interruption didn’t rattle him mentally but emphasized the importance of maintaining respect between fans and players. His cool-headed reaction under pressure only enhanced what was already a determined comeback effort on court.
He now prepares to face Russia’s Karen Khachanov in the semifinals, carrying a strong 5–2 head-to-head record into the clash. But for many watching, it was Zverev’s composure under heckling that truly defined his quarterfinal performance, a reminder that tennis, at its core, is as much mental as it is physical.
