In a dramatic turn of events at the Australian Open, the superfan who British tennis star Emma Raducanu personally invited to her matches has been ejected from the tournament by police. James Bray, a Sydney resident, found himself at the centre of controversy after security deemed his enthusiastic support had crossed the line during a high-profile match.
From Celebrity Endorsement to Police Ejection
James Bray first gained widespread media attention during Raducanu's first-round victory over Mananchaya Sawangkaew last Sunday. His vocal cheering and affectionate nickname 'Raddo' for the former US Open champion captured headlines across the tennis world. Raducanu herself acknowledged his support during her on-court interview, expressing gratitude and extending an invitation for him to attend her future matches at the tournament.
The 21-year-old British player's team subsequently secured Bray a ticket for her second-round encounter against Anastasia Potapova, cementing his status as an officially recognised superfan. However, the situation took an unexpected turn during Friday night's third-round match featuring Australian favourite Alex De Minaur against Frances Tiafoe.
The Incident That Crossed the Line
According to tournament organisers Tennis Australia, security personnel received multiple complaints from spectators in Rod Laver Arena regarding Bray's disruptive behaviour. Despite receiving several warnings from staff members, Bray reportedly refused to modify his conduct and continued to disturb those seated around him.
Bray documented the subsequent police intervention on his Instagram account, posting a video from the concourse outside the famous arena. In the footage, a police officer can be heard informing Bray that he was being given a formal direction to leave the tournament precinct for a 24-hour period.
"So we've got the police here, unfortunately I've been kicked out of the Australian Open because I've been too rowdy," Bray explained in his social media post. He revealed he had paid approximately £350 for his ticket and maintained that his support had been entirely appropriate.
Conflicting Perspectives on Fan Behaviour
In another video shared online, Bray expressed confusion about the security team's decision. "I feel like everything was going well," he stated. "I wasn't disrespectful at all. I was just cheering on him like I would genuinely cheer on any Australian on any court."
He continued: "For some reason, security came up to me and said, 'Sorry mate, you've been warned, you need to leave'. It's a bit of a weird one. I feel like I wasn't doing anything bad."
Tournament officials presented a different account in their official statement. "Security received a number of complaints from fans in Rod Laver Arena last night relating to the disruptive behaviour of an individual in the crowd," Tennis Australia confirmed.
The statement elaborated: "Despite multiple warnings from staff, he refused to modify his behaviour and continued to disrupt those around him. Police were called to assist security speaking with the patron who disregarded advice to minimise his disruptive behaviour."
Tournament Consequences and Future Attendance
Importantly, tournament organisers clarified that Bray has not received a permanent ban from the Australian Open. "He was directed to leave the precinct and not return for 24 hours. He has not been banned from the event," the Tennis Australia statement concluded.
This incident highlights the fine line tournament security must navigate between encouraging passionate fan support and maintaining appropriate spectator behaviour standards. Bray had been supporting multiple players throughout the tournament, including Australian competitors, before the incident during De Minaur's match prompted official intervention.
The ejection represents a significant reversal of fortune for the superfan, who just days earlier had been publicly thanked by one of tennis's most prominent young stars and granted special access to her matches through her team's direct intervention.
