'Disturbing and heartbreaking' - Chris Evert on hecklers in tennis and 'bright light' Naomi Osaka

Eurosport expert Chris Evert has given her views on hecklers in tennis and Naomi Osaka being a «bright light» in the sport after her experience at Indian Wells. A spectator shouted “Naomi, you suck” at the Japanese star at the event in the California desert, 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 particularly affecting her.

Tennis'It's the right time' — Why Schett is 'not surprised' at Barty retirement3 HOURS AGO «I just wanted to say thank you. I feel like I’ve cried enough on camera,” Osaka said. „To be honest, I’ve gotten heckled before.

It didn’t really bother me, but it’s like, heckled here. “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.

I’m trying not to cry.» Andy Murray said players must learn to “tolerate” heckling despite questioning why spectators attend events simply to direct abuse at players, while Rafael Nadal said he felt «terrible» for Osaka but acknowledged that such experiences with fans «happens» in the sport. While Evert, like Murray and Nadal, believes that players «have to learn to tune out» heckling from the stands, she believes that Osaka is a «bright light» when it comes to mental wellness and is «a role model for so many people» with her bravery and openness. «I would never use the word 'overreacted' with Naomi;