VIDEO | Spectator brawl interrupts US Open

There might be the occasional flare-up on court - but it was on the genteel stands of the Arthur Ashe Stadium that the real action took place during the US Open.

Police were forced to escort three fans out of the U.S. Open after a fight broke out during Novak Djokovic's match against Philipp Petzschner.

The second round match was halted in the eighth game of the first set after the brawl kicked off - apparently when a female spectator and her father took exception to another fan's swearing.

WATCH VIDEO OF THE SPECTATOR BRAWL

 

Third-seed Djokovic and Petzschner stopped playing and looked up into the stands while New York police handcuffed the fans and led them out of the stadium in Flushing Meadows, Queens.

U.S. Tennis Association spokesman Chris Widmaier said afterwards there had been a 'disagreement over verbiage' during the game on Thursday.

Reports suggest the woman, in her 40s, and her father confronted a male fan who was 'swearing and acting obnoxiously'.

Police claim the man was unhappy at their feedback and continued to swear at the pair.

The woman then slapped the male fan before her father and the man tussled and fell over two rows of seats.

The trio were later handcuffed and led away from the stadium. None of the fans were arrested and instead were told not to return to the U.S. Open for the foreseeable future.

Widmaier later attempted to play down the incident, stating: 'It was a hot night in New York. Things happen.'

Djokovic went on to beat 52nd seed Philipp Petzschner of Germany  7-5, 6-3, 7-6 (8-6).

He will next play wild-card entry James Blake of the United States in the third round.

And Britain's No.1 Andy Murray takes on 113rd seed Dustin Browne of Jamaica in their second round match tonight at 9pm (CET).

 




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Michael Gauci
The only thing the young man is guilty of is not punching the womans lights out after she slapped him.