French Open: Federer angry after fan enters court to click selfie

World No 2 slams security at Roland Garros after a fan jumps onto the court at the end of the match to click selfie with Swiss ace during his first round 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 victory over Alejandro Falla

Paris: Roger Federer was given a scare on the opening day of the French Open yesterday. Not by his opponent Alejandro Falla, who proved just challenging enough for Federer to get nicely into his groove on the clay courts at Roland Garros, but by a small boy, who jumped onto the court at the end of the match.


A fan tries to take a selfie with Roger Federer after his win over Alejandro Falla at the Roland Garros yesterday. Pic: AP/PTI 

"It was a just a guy out of the crowd," said an upset Federer after his comfortable 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 victory over Falla in the first round of the French Open. "Out of nowhere, he was standing right next to me and just asked for a picture."

It's not the first time a spectator has managed to get past the security at Roland Garros and approached Federer. A member of the crowd had walked on to the court and congratulated Federer in his 2009 final against Robin Soderling, just as the Swiss ace was on the brink of winning his first and only French Open title.

Also read: Eight men to watch out for at the 2015 French Open

"I am not happy about it," said Federer of the latest breach. "It happened yesterday during practice too. One kid came and approached me and before anyone could do anything, there were three or four.

I am speaking on behalf of all the players here, I think, when I talk about this, because we need to do our job out on the court, we need to feel safe. I am relieved that nothing really happened today, but it is not a nice situation to be in."

Federer added that he had already spoken to the tournament organisers and they had apologised to him over it. "Not just today, and not just this tournament, but everyone needs to make sure that people don't just wander out on the court," he said.

Roger's bright spell
On a lighter note, the 33-year-old said he was enjoying a 'bright spell' with his tennis gear this season. Having sported a neon orange t-shirt earlier in the year, Federer turned up in neon pink shorts, teamed with a bright blue top, for the opening round of the French Open.

"Let's enjoy the colours as long as we can. The rules at Wimbledon have become ridiculously strict, it's rough out there!" he said of the grass-court Slam, which applies an all-white rule, but also has regulations over how much colour, if any, is allowed in tennis outfits during the fortnight.

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