Swiss tennis player Leandro Riedi says he had no choice but to report a courtside supporter during his US Open win over Francisco Cerúndolo on Thursday, explaining that he suspected the man was a bettor posing as a fan.
The 23-year-old, ranked outside the top 50, produced the best victory of his career by coming back from two sets down to beat the Argentine No 19 seed.
Yet his post-match reflections focused less on the tennis and more on the uneasy presence of one individual who he felt had overstepped the line.
“I told the umpire because I was sure he was betting,” Riedi said, per the BBC.
Leandro Riedi has been in fine form at the US Open so far
|GETTY
“Of course people can support, that’s nice.
"But when someone is always on their phone, saying the wrong words at the wrong moments, for me it’s not real support.
"If I lose, guys like that will text me and say they hope my mother dies. It’s happened too many times.”
The moment came late in the fourth set, just after Riedi had surrendered a hard-earned break.
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Already tense, he snapped at the man in his native language before informing chair umpire Scotty Moore of his suspicions.
According to the United States Tennis Association (USTA), the man left 'of his own volition' and was not removed by security.
Riedi said the same individual had been present in his opening-round victory over Spain’s Pedro Martinez, adding weight to his belief the supporter was following him for gambling reasons.
“Maybe I’m wrong, and if he was just a supporter then I’m sorry. But my gut feeling told me he was a bettor. I didn’t want to see or hear him anymore," he added.
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Leandro Riedi : "Ferme-la, mec ! Il a juste parié sur moi. Maintenant, si je perds, il va m'envoyer des messages. Je ne veux pas le voir, sors-le du court.
— Tennis Legend (@TennisLegende) August 29, 2025
Si je perds, il va m'écrire tu es tellement nul, j'espère que ta mère va mourir."#USOpen pic.twitter.com/NOxCRK57kT
The incident highlights a growing issue for tennis: the tension between lucrative betting sponsorships and the abuse players often receive from disgruntled gamblers.
Riedi, who has reached the last 16 in only his second Grand Slam main draw, was blunt in his assessment: “Personally I think it should stop.
"If gambling companies are sponsoring tournaments, then bettors think it’s fine to come and act like this. That connection makes it worse.”
Gambling on tennis is enormous business.
Industry figures estimate more than £100million is wagered on matches worldwide each day, fuelled by the sport’s global calendar and sheer number of fixtures.
Governing bodies have leaned into this interest: the ITF’s Davis Cup is sponsored by Stake, the WTA has a multi-year deal with FanDuel, and major tournaments in Madrid and Miami are backed by Betway.
But for players, the personal cost is high.
Britain’s Katie Boulter has shared screenshots of abusive messages linked to lost bets, while recent AI monitoring revealed nearly half of all abusive posts aimed at tennis players in 2024 came from angry gamblers.
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Leandro Riedi will do battle with Alex de Minaur at the US Open today
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Riedi says the toll can be difficult to ignore: “At Wimbledon one guy tagged me every day for five days wishing me to die.
"You read it because you’re tagged. It’s tough. I’m not crying about it, but it needs to stop.”
For now the Swiss remains focused on his US Open run, with the the tennis star poised to lock horns with eighth seed Alex de Minaur later today.