A crying baby that interrupted play during a critical moment of an Australian Open quarter final has sparked fierce debate about parenting online.
Rafael Nadal refused to serve during a third-set tiebreaker against Marin Cilic when the baby started crying shortly after 10pm Tuesday night.
He attempted to persevere despite the distraction, but the screaming intensified and brought the match to a halt for more than a minute.
Viewers were quick to take to social media to debate whether the parents were at fault for taking their baby to the night session.
Parenting debate has raged online after a crying baby interrupted the Australian Open quarter final between Rafael Nadal and Marin Cilic on Tuesday night
Nadal (right) attempted to persevere despite the distraction, but the screaming intensified while the chair umpire (left) looked on
‘This is when a player wants a chair umpire to ask for the baby to be removed … neither of these guys want to play with that,’ tennis legend and commentator Jim Courier said during the coverage.
He added: ‘What’s a baby doing awake at ten o’clock at night anyway?’
The comment divided tennis fans on social media, with some criticising the 47-year-old for being insensitive.
‘Haven’t spent much time around babies have you, Jim Courier?’ one person wrote.
Another said: ‘Jim Courier just asked why a baby is awake at 10pm. Has he had babies?’
One fan slammed the players, asking if they are ’embarrassed to be extreme jerks’ after Nadal refused to serve.
Jim Courier (pictured) asked why a child was awake at 10pm after a crying baby interrupted the match
The comment divided tennis fans on social media, with some criticising the 47-year-old for being insensitive
One angered tennis fan asked if Courier had spent time around babies after his comment
One fan slammed the players, asking if they are ’embarrassed to be extreme jerks’ after Nadal refused to serve
The fan added: ‘What about Jim Courier? “What’s a baby doing awake at 10pm?” Just serve the ball you muppet.’
But others supported the father-of-one and suggested the baby should have been asleep at home by the late hour.
‘The best thing Jim Courier has ever said right there. Stupid parents,’ one viewer wrote.
Another claimed that the comment by the American was the ‘call of the night’.
Others supported the father-of-one and suggested the baby should have been asleep at home by the late hour
‘The best thing Jim Courier has ever said right there. Stupid parents,’ one viewer wrote