It wasn’t world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka’s powerful play in the third set of a tight match that unsettled Emma Raducanu. It was a wail from the stands, courtesy of a tiny, off-court opponent.

At the Cincinnati Open on Aug. 11, just as Raducanu, 22, was readying her serve, a sudden cry in the crowd briefly broke the former Grand Slam Champion’s focus.

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In a moment caught on ESPN’s TikTok, Raducanu can be heard telling the empire that the distracting noise had been going on “for, like, 10 minutes.” The official replied, “It’s a child. Do you want me to send the child out of the stadium?

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The umpire’s offer drew

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