MELBOURNE, Australia — Fans at the Australian Open’s lively “Party Court,” which features a bar, became so enthusiastic that an adjacent match had to be relocated to another venue.

Jacob Fearnley, a 23-year-old tennis player from Scotland, recognized the potential for rowdiness when he observed the bar at the venue. Having played college tennis at TCU in Fort Worth, Texas, Fearnley triumphed in his match on the vibrantly energetic Court 6. “Typically, a bar and a lively ambiance go hand in hand,” he remarked after his victory where he won against Arthur Cazaux from France with a score of 3-6, 7-5, 6-2, 6-3.

During the match, the cheers, chants, and applause from the crowd created a raucous atmosphere that drifted over to nearby Court 8, where Alejandro Davidovich Fokina of Spain was preparing to face Canada’s 29th-seeded Felix Auger-Aliassime. As the noise escalated, the players paused their game at 4-3 in the first set to discuss the situation with the chair umpire.

In response, the umpire summoned a tournament supervisor, leading to a delay of over 15 minutes. Eventually, an announcement was made to the spectators: “Ladies and gentlemen, the match is now suspended on this court and will move to Court 7 in just a few minutes.” Both players then moved to the new location, where Davidovich Fokina went on to achieve a remarkable comeback victory with a final score of 6-7 (7), 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-1, 6-3.

The two-level bar at Court 6, introduced last year, has proven to be popular among fans, though it has received mixed reactions from players. Despite the noisy environment, Fearnley managed to adapt to the atmosphere, stating, “As I kind of settled into the match, I blocked it out as much as I could. Obviously, there were some supporters who were extremely drunk, but it was a great atmosphere. Amazing atmosphere.”