The Brazzaville Challenger tennis match between Guy den Ouden and Ivan Denisovwas was interrupted after gunshots were fired outside the grounds, forcing players to walk off the court
Play at the Brazzaville Challenger in the Republic of Congo was dramatically paused on Tuesday when bangs resembling gunshots rang out near the venue.
During the clash between Guy den Ouden and Ivan Denisov, what looked like smoke or gas could be seen billowing close to where the noise came from.
Den Ouden, 22, had dominated with a 6-1 win in the first set, and things were level at 2-all in the second when the gunshots interrupted Denisov as he was gearing up his serve.
The video feed showed people bolting along a road while the sound of heavy gunfire blared out, panicked yells filled the air, and a sinister mist rose around the complex’s perimeter wall. Following this scare, both competitors swiftly exited the court, and play was called off until the incident wound down.
A later statement from the ATP Challenger Tour claimed that the commotion stemmed from a “routine training exercise.”
It read: “We can confirm that play was temporarily suspended today at the Brazzaville Challenger in the Republic of Congo due to a routine training exercise conducted by a nearby police academy.
“The suspension lasted approximately 10 minutes, after which play resumed without issue.”
Den Ouden gathered himself after the interruption and proceeded to claim the second set with a score of 6-3, securing his place in the round of 16, reports the Express.
The Dutch player is set to face Brazil’s Paulo Andre Saraiva Dos Santos on Thursday, but first, he has a doubles quarter-final to get through.
The Brazzaville Challenger is a Category 50 event – the lowest level on the ATP Challenger Tour, which is the second tier of professional tennis below the ATP Tour. Den Ouden had a successful junior career, becoming the first Dutch player to reach the Boys’ French Open semi-finals in 2020 since Thiemo de Bakker 14 years prior.
He is currently ranked No. 305 in the world but reached a career-high No. 270 after winning his first title in September.
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