Alejandro Davidovich Fokina hit out at "ignorant drunks" after confronting the crowd during his gruelling five-set win over Reilly Opelka at the Australian Open on Wednesday.
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The 14th-seeded Spaniard remonstrated with spectators in the front rows at Kia Arena when down 2-1 to the American in the fourth set.
Davidovich Fokina marched over to talk to a section of the crowd, angrily pointing his finger.
The chair umpire climbed down from his seat to speak to the spectators.
"It can happen here, it can happen wherever in the world," said the 26-year-old Spaniard about the behaviour.
"So there were four ignorant drunks that I can do nothing about. Nothing more."
He took exception to some fans cheering when he slipped and fell.
"I twisted my ankle and he won the point. And I think it's not fair for me they cheered that point because maybe I could get twisted worse."
Davidovich Fokina had the last laugh with a 6-3, 7-6 (7/3), 5-7, 4-6, 6-4 victory.
He faces another American in 19th seed Tommy Paul in round three.