German tennis pro rips US Open fans for treatment of 'non-American' players after loss: 'No respect for me'

Fox News Flash top sports headlines are here. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com.

German tennis player Laura Siegemund ripped fans at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Monday night after she said she was disrespected by the American fan base rooting for 19-year-old tennis star Coco Gauff. 

The 2022 French Open finalist took issue with Siegemund’s slow pace of play, something the 35-year-old pro admitted to during her post match press conference. But Siegemund defended herself for putting on a "show" in front of the packed crowd, and said she didn’t deserve the treatment she received. 

Laura Siegemund speaks with an official during her match against Coco Gauff during the first round of the U.S. Open, Monday, Aug. 28, 2023, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

"I am very, very disappointed of the way the people treated me today. I think I’m a fighter. I never did anything against the audience. I stayed calm. I never made, not even a gesture against the audience. And they had no respect for me," an emotional Siegemund told the media. 

NOVAK DJOKOVIC SECURES TOP RANKING AFTER US OPEN VICTORY FOLLOWING LONG-AWAITED RETURN

"They had no respect for the way I played. They have no respect for the player that I am. They have no respect for tennis, for good tennis. And this is something that I have to say that hurts really bad." 

Siegemund said there was "no doubt" she played slow, but said she was not trying "sneaky ways to win this match." 

"There is no doubt that I am slow. There is no doubt about that. I’m getting time violations. There is no doubt about that I should be quicker, but at the same time, it’s how I play. I’m very slow. I do it for me, I don’t do it against the other one. Clapping when you miss the first serve,