Andy Murray on Naomi Osaka being heckled at Indian Wells: ‘I feel for her, but you have to be prepared for it’

Andy Murray said players must learn to “tolerate” heckling despite questioning why spectators attend events simply to direct abuse at players. A spectator shouted “Naomi, you suck” at Naomi Osaka on Saturday evening, with the four-time Grand Slam champion visibly upset during her straight sets defeat against Veronika Kudermetova.

Ad/> Osaka wanted to speak to the fan using the umpire’s microphone – a request which was denied – although she was interviewed afterwards and referenced a video of abuse being aimed at Serena and Venus Williams at the same tournament in 2001 as a reason for the heckling affecting her. /> ATP Indian WellsBublik sinks Murray in straight sets at Indian Wells3 HOURS AGO “To be honest, I’ve gotten heckled before.

It didn’t really bother me, but it’s like, heckled here,” she said. «I’ve watched a video of Venus and Serena getting heckled here and if you’ve never watched it, you should watch it.

And I don’t know why, but it went into my head and it got replayed a lot.” When asked about the incident following his defeat to Alexander Bublik, Murray said he sympathises with Osaka, but suggested players must be prepared for heckling – not only in tennis. “It’s a difficult one,” he said.

“I’ve often thought watching certain sports, I wouldn’t say I’ve often seen it loads in tennis — I know it’s happened but I don’t think it’s that common in tennis — but if I watch a football match and a player’s going to take a throw-in or a corner kick and the crowd are just hurling insults at those individuals, I always think like, you know, how’s that allowed? You can’t do that. 'I’m trying not to cry' — Osaka affected by heckler in loss to Kudermetova Bublik drop shots his way to victory over Murray at Indian Wells