Tennis player banned from French Open after trying to kiss reporter on live TV
French Open qualifier Maxime Hamou had his tournament credential revoked Tuesday after he forcefully tried to kiss a television reporter during a live interview.
While being interviewed by Eurosport’s Maly Thomas following his opening-round loss to Pablo Cuevas, the 21-year-old Hamou decided to repeatedly try and kiss the reporter.
Quand #Hamou, en mode séducteur niveau 30/4, prend un râteau avec autant de dents qu'un présentateur TV par @Maly_Tweet. @malaisetele. #RG17 pic.twitter.com/tPbkmGrYGn
— Prise Marteau (@PriseMarteau) May 30, 2017
Clearly uncomfortable with the situation, Thomas ducks and pulls away and Hamou holds her by the neck at one point. While the interview is ongoing, Thomas’ colleagues can be heard laughing in the background.
Thomas, however, didn’t find the incident funny.
“If I hadn’t been live on air, I would have punched him,” she told Huffington Post France.
The French Tennis Federation revoked Hamou’s tournament credential Tuesday, calling the incident “reprehensible” in a statement and promising to investigate the case “for improper conduct.”