Strange scene at the French Open
Tennis pro rushes to the toilet in the middle of a match
May 24, 2026 – 1:58 p.mReading time: 1 min.
Arthur Gea is not only fighting against his opponent in the opening match of the French Open, but also against acute gastrointestinal problems. It becomes clear when talking to the referee.
At the opening match of the French Open in Paris, French tennis professional Arthur Gea asked for a toilet break in the middle of the game. He described his situation to the referees in drastic terms – and was only allowed to leave the court after his service game had ended.
Gea played on the Suzanne-Lenglen court against the Russian Karen Khachanow. He told the officials: “I have diarrhea, I have to go to the toilet urgently, I can’t take it anymore. I’m going to shit on the pitch.”
The referees only let him go after he ended his serve game to make it 2-4 in the first set. As soon as Khachanow’s ball went out, Gea stormed into the catacombs of Court Suzanne-Lenglen. It is unclear whether the conditions played a role. On the starting day of the Grand Slam tournament in Paris, temperatures were around 30 degrees with lots of sun.
