The US Open briefly US Closed on Thursday after climate protesters interrupted American Coco Gauff’s semifinal against the Czech Republic's Karolína Muchová.


Shortly after the first set, several protesters arose from the stands of Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens, New York, chanting "no tennis on a dead planet,” while another glued his bare feet to the ground below his seat.



"Three of the four protesters were escorted out of the stadium without further incident. The fourth protester affixed their bare feet to the floor of the seating bowl,” the United States Tennis Association said in a statement shared to social media. “Due to the nature of this action, NYPD and medical personnel were needed in order to safely remove this individual from the stadium.”



All four were taken into police custody, with the match resuming 49 minutes later.


UK-based environmental movement Extinction Rebellion took responsibility for the demonstration.



Though US Open officials and the NYPD and a handful of spectators appeared to have little sympathy for the protesters — “Climate protest delays the US Open. People are upset and would like to return to the match and the $35 cocktails asap,” joked @TheMarieOakes — Gauff, who went on to win the match, was more understanding of their cause.



“I wasn’t pissed at the protesters. I know the stadium was because it just interrupted entertainment,” the 19-year-old athlete told reporters of the incident, noting she had a feeling something like this would happen based on past demonstrations at Tennis tournaments.


“I always speak about preaching what you feel and what you believe in,” she added. “It was done in a peaceful way, so I can’t get too mad at it.”

So take it from Gauff, all's well that ends well. Tennis — and absurdly overpriced cocktails – anyone?