Casper Ruud, opening-round casualty at Indian Wells, was still at Tennis Garden during quarterfinals

The guy in blue shirt is Zhang Shuai's player box's guest, and he was assauting and beating one of Angie's Chinese fan after the match, blaming the Angie's Chinese fans cheering for Angie in Zhang Shuai's hometown, I think that's why Zhang shuai got so many haters pic.twitter.com/aJ7qWMVf3u
— Euan Zhang (@EuanZhang) September 29, 2019

In perhaps the most bizarre incident of the 2019 season, two fans began to brawl during the China Open. As Angelique Kerber battled against local favorite Zhang Shuai in the first round, a violent scene unfolded in Zhang's player box.

A young man was cheering for Kerber when a guest in Zhang's box responded by throwing punches and kicking him. The plot thickened when it was brought to light that the young Kerber fan may have initiated the brawl, spitting into the player box and slapping Zhang's mother.

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According to this testimony, the Kerber fan boy who got hit was the first one who started physical violence towards the Shuai fan who asked Kerber fanclub not to celebrate right into Shuai’s team. This Kerber fan boy also slapped Shuai’s mother in her face...🙄🌚
— K.TheAngel😇笑_H (@Xiao_CXY_H) September 29, 2019

Social media did as social media does, poking fun at the situation and Kerber's lackluster 2019 season.

Imagine catching a beating for cheering for Kerber, of all players pic.twitter.com/pUPwquVJQl — Obe1 (@obe1obryant) September 29, 2019

The German has won just two matches since losing at Wimbledon in July but she bounced back from a break down in the final set to beat Zhang, 6-2, 1-6, 6-4. She will face Polona Hercog in the second round.

Zhang and Kerber fans get in physical fight in Beijing

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