Jan 23, 2009 5:06 pm US/Eastern
On Tape: Tennis Fans Go Wild At Australian Open
Bosnian, Serbian Youths Clash After Closely Watched Match
MELBOURNE, Australia (CBS) ―
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Bosnian and Serbian youths clashed after a closely-watched match at the Australian Open in Melbourne on Jan. 23, 2009. Chairs and bottles were thrown, with at least one person being injured.
CBS
Insults, bottles and chairs were hurled back and forth in Melbourne on Friday between dozens of Bosnian and Serbian youths who had earlier peacefully watched an Australian Open tennis match.
The fight erupted after defending champion Novak Djokovic of Serbia defeated Bosnian-born American Amer Delic 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (4) to reach the fourth round.
The two groups of youths, many wrapped in their national flags, had been sitting about nine metres (10 yards) from each other, watching the match on a giant video screen, with no trouble.
But within moments of Djokovic's win, water bottles were flying both ways, followed quickly by plastic chairs.
Other spectators quickly scrambled away from the brawl but it took a couple of minutes for security and police to arrive.
One Bosnian woman was hit in the head by a chair and fell to the ground before stumbling away on the arms of friends as police intervened to end the loud, angry scuffle.
Victoria state police said the girl had only minor injuries and was not pursuing charges.
Police said 30 people were ejected from the ground.
Two were charged and another man was fined on the spot for riotous behaviour.
Security led away those suspected of taking part in the skirmish, taking the Bosnians and Serbs to different areas for questioning.
The lawn area at Melbourne Park was left strewn with at least a dozen broken chairs, plastic bottles and empty food containers.
One angry Serb, who did not want to be identified and wrapped his flag around his head to avoid the television cameras, accused the Bosnians of bringing "weapons" into the ground, pointing to his friend's wrist, which was bleeding from three puncture wounds.
Australian Open organisers had no immediate comment.
Friday's clash comes two years after similar violent skirmishes between Serbian and Croatian supporters at the Australian Open.
More than 150 people were ejected by police that day.
Australia has a large population of immigrants from the Balkans, with sports events occasionally used to display ethnic rivalries.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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