Tennis Gronk Booted From French Open For Trying To Pash Reporter On Air

We had kinda assumed the whole sportsmen-hitting-on-reporters-during-live-broadcasts thing was done and dusted after the Chris Gayle saga, but here we are.

French tennis player Maxime Hamou has had his French Open accreditation binned after repeatedly trying to plant his face on Eurosport reporter Maly Thomas.

In an interview following his first round defeat to Pablo Cuevas, 21-year-old Hamou wrapped his arm around Thomas, and just wouldn’t quit it with the attempted kisses. 

The footage isn’t great to watch, considering the facts that a) women doing their job / anything in a man’s vicinity aren’t there to be pestered, and b) it would have been so easy not to get all gross.

The French tennis federation has issued a statement, saying “the management of the tournament has decided to revoke Maxime Hamou’s accreditation following his reprehensible behaviour with a journalist yesterday.”

As such, he won’t be allowed back to Roland Garros for the duration of the tournament.

Eurosport have issued a response too, after it was pointed out that the male presenters in the studio initially seemed to have a chuckle at her expense (rewatch the clip, and you’ll see the middle bloke’s demeanour change halfway through).

The network says “the behaviour of the interviewee was highly inappropriate and we do not condone such conduct in any way.

Hamou’s coach Martin Vaisse said he wouldn’t offer any excuses for Hamou’s behaviour. 

Most importantly, Thomas herself has spoken out about his behaviour, saying “if I hadn’t been live on air, I’d have punched him… It does not give a good picture of him, he destroys himself by doing this.”