Ugly tennis brawl erupts after teen player slaps his opponent

A brawl broke out after a tennis match in Ghana on Monday, when a 15-year-old player slapped his opponent after losing a match in the first round of an ITF juniors tournament.

Video footage shows French tennis player Michael Kouame meeting Ghana’s Raphael Nii Ankrah at center court, where he appeared to reach for a handshake but slapped Ankrah in the face instead.

Although it is unclear what led Kouame to slap his opponent, the move sparked an all-out brawl, according to videos posted on social media.

Tennis brawl erupts after teen player slaps opponent
Michael Kouame slapped his opponent, Raphael Nii Ankrah, following a loss at a junior tournament
Twitter

The footage was initially shared by the Functional Tennis podcast, which said Tuesday in an Instagram Story that they decided to remove the clip. A tennis coach in Ghana obtained the footage and posted it on Twitter.

Ankrah beat Kouame — who was the No. 1 seed heading into the tournament — in three sets —6-2, 6-7, 7-6 — to advance to the second round, where he will face Ishmael Nii Nortey Dowuona, also of Ghana.

Ankrah will return to the court on Tuesday for a doubles match against Italy’s Davide Brunetti and France’s Mickael Kaouk.

source: nypost.com