Ex-boyfriend in the crowd: Tennis star reveals why she broke down in tears at US Open

Professional athletes are, at the end of the day, human. Some of the very best in the world compete through pain and adversity without ever showing it on the court or the field, more often than not putting on a brave face. Yet Czech star Karolina Muchova delivered one of the most strikingly human moments of this year's US Open during her second-round match against Sorana Cristea.

Trailing 1-4 in the first set, Muchova suddenly paused mid-serve, visibly shaken. She gestured towards the crowd before wiping away tears with her towel. Apologising to the chair umpire for the brief interruption, she composed herself and resumed play with quiet determination. At the time, the reason for her breakdown was unclear, but the 29-year-old explained her reaction later.

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In a candid post-match press conference, she revealed the cause of her distress. "Well it wasn't tennis-related," she admitted.

"Opposite my bench, my ex-boyfriend sat down. He sometimes shows up at places where he shouldn't be. That startled me a bit. I told him to leave. He didn't at first, but later he did go. It was hard to focus in that moment."

Despite the unsettling distraction, Muchova rallied to secure a gruelling three-set victory, 7-6, 6-7, 6-4, days after beating Venus Williams in the opening round.

Two days later, after defeating fellow Czech Linda Noskova in the third round, she addressed the incident again with calm composure.

"Yeah, I'm alright. I didn't make any report and everything is good," she said.

When pressed on whether she felt confident it would not happen again, she responded with candour: "I mean, who knows, right? I don't know."