Controversy Erupts at Naples Challenger: Player Calls Out Ignorant Fans

The definition that generated controversy in the Naples Challenger

“Ignorant, useless and shameful people who ruin such a beautiful sport just to win bets and tickets.” Raúl Brancaccio did not mince words on his social networks when analyzing his narrow defeat in the Challenger in Naples, his hometown, against the Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbert. The Italian let seven match points pass, while from the stands they celebrated his failures and supported his rival.

The reason? The 33-year-old Frenchman came into this tournament as the eighth favorite, ranking 160th in the ATP ranking, even though five years ago he reached his best position at 36th in the world. He was the logical candidate to win. Brancaccio, born in a Neapolitan city, was invited to the main draw through a wild card. At 26 years old, he is 321st on the planet and his best record was last year when he reached 121st. For the Italian there are no doubts: the bets were the turning point to have people against him.

And in the first match of the Naples Challenger he was carrying out the surprise of the team, without a doubt. After winning the first 6-3 clearly, he reached the second set 5-4 up and forced to break his opponent’s serve. The score was 15-40 in his favor, but the debacle began. He lost two match points in a row and was left with a 40-40, although the possibility of winning was still latent. He had another five balls throughout that deuce to win the match, but missed all of them. Meanwhile, from the stands of the contest organized in his city, celebrations descended upon each failure or point won by Herbert.

It was a lethal blow for the Italian. Everything turned against him. That set, which lasted more than an hour, ended with a 7-6 in favor of the Frenchman: he broke Brancaccio’s serve, who reached 40-0, and then beat his serve 40-0 to take over the partial. The final set was 6-0 in less than half an hour. The local team lost the first game with their serve at zero, struggled without luck in the next two and then won just one point in the next three games.

Hours later, his explosive release came on the networks: “Hello everyone. I need to write what I think, I know that many times silence says more than a thousand words, but in these cases one really has to speak…. First of all, I wanted to thank the director of the Challenger of Naples, Alessandro Motti, for having given me the opportunity to play this beautiful tournament that I have followed since I was a child. Thank you for having faith in me and I hope I have returned it in a dignified way.”

After the protocol greetings, he pointed out against the people: “So I wanted to dedicate this post to all those people who yesterday were cheering, almost like in a stadium, against me. Ignorant, useless and shameful people who ruin such a beautiful sport just to win bets and tickets. “I ask for an examination of conscience from all of you, for the good of the sport and out of respect for all the players who offer a show worthy of applause.”

Brancaccio stressed to them that he is “born and raised” in Torre del Greco, a Neapolitan municipality, and that he always tried to “bring the name of Naples to the highest possible level.” But after what happened, he did not mince words: “But forgive me for telling you that I am glad not to live here anymore, because you are the example of an ignorant people! Such an important tournament in Naples and cheering against the only Neapolitan in the competition is really embarrassing! “I am very disappointed in you, but I thank you in part for allowing me to make noise after what happened yesterday.”

What happened obviously had repercussions in different Italian media such as La Gazzetta dello Sport, Il Messaggero or even in Il Mattino Neapolitan at the same time that different colleagues reacted to Brancaccio’s message. “Shameful,” signed the Italian Andrea Pellegrino (162nd in ATP). “Really embarrassing,” added another compatriot like Andrea Vavassori (148th). His sister Nuria, 243rd in the WTA, supported him: “You are strong.” The Argentine nationalized Italian Franco Agamenone (195 °) supported in the comments with emojis and the Italian Salvatore Caruso (339 °) was shocked by what his colleague experienced: “My God, he is disgusting.”

Beyond what happened with this player who won two Challengers in his career, the tournament in Naples continued its course and Herbert will play the semifinals against his compatriot Corentin Moutet (he eliminated the Argentine Federico Coria) after leaving the local Francesco Maestrelli on the road and the Frenchman Arthur Gea, who had given the surprise by removing the experienced Fabio Fognini from the contest.

THE COMPLETE MESSAGE

Hello everyone.

I need to write what I think, I know that many times silence says more than a thousand words, but in these cases one really has to speak…

First of all, I wanted to thank the director of the Naples Challenger, Alessandro Motti, for giving me the opportunity to play this beautiful tournament that I have followed since I was a child. Thank you for having faith in me and I hope I have returned it in a dignified way.

So I wanted to dedicate this post to all those people who yesterday were cheering, almost like in a stadium, against me.

Ignorant, useless and shameful people who ruin such a beautiful sport just to win bets and tickets. I ask all of you to examine your conscience, for the good of the sport and out of respect for all the players who offer a show worthy of applause.

I was born in Torre del Greco and I am proud to be Corallino, born and raised in this area and I have always tried to carry the name of Naples as high as possible. But forgive me for telling you that I am glad I no longer live here, because you are the example of an ignorant people! Such an important tournament in Naples and cheering against the only Neapolitan in the competition is really embarrassing!

I am very disappointed in you, but I am grateful in part for allowing me to make noise after what happened yesterday.

I am grateful because thanks to you we made ourselves known and for the umpteenth time we made a shitty impression.

Change, for your own good, but if next time you continue cheering against me, make it stronger, because the more you do it, the stronger I will come out.

I keep chasing my dreams

Thank you to all my friends and family who were there to encourage me during these difficult times, thank you for supporting me at all times, thank you for always being there.

Raúl

2024-03-29 18:33:35
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