The fan who gave Rafa Nadal the finger speaks out: ‘He’s boring’

The tennis fan who gave Rafael Nadal the finger has doubled down on her views in an extraordinary radio interview in Melbourne.

It’s time to go, love. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)

The woman who heckled Rafael Nadal on Rod Laver Arena has absolutely no regrets after gaining worldwide recognition for her incredible attack on the Spanish star.

Everyone in tennis was stunned when the rogue spectator took it upon herself to liven up proceedings during Nadal’s second round win over American qualifier Michael Mmoh, forcing play to be stopped as security intervened.

Just before Nadal was ready to serve late in the second yet, the woman reportedly yelled out: “Hurry up, you OCD f***.”

There was quite a commotion in the stands and soon she was flipping Nadal the bird.

The 20-time grand slam champion was shocked but still saw the funny side, laughing the heckles off and later suggesting the offender may have had a bit too much “gin or tequila” before her brazen stunt.

The crowd booed as security guards took matters into their own hands and booted her from the stands, but old mate was still intent on putting on a show as she continued to gesticulate wildly.

The woman took to Melbourne radio on Friday morning to explain her version of events, showing absolutely no remorse for hijacking events on centre court.

Cop that, Rafa.

Thumbs up for the other guy, right?

“I’m certainly not a fan of Nadal, I think he’s boring and he goes through all those OCD rituals all the time,” she told Neil Mitchell on 3AW.

“The very fact pictures of me have gone viral around the world reflects on how incredibly boring his matches are, because why would you want to focus on a spectator?

“It’s a bit embarrassing. When I woke up this morning I had messages and phone calls from all sorts of different people.

“It’s probably not a great look for me but you know, what can I do? What’s done is done.

“I just called out, ‘Get over your OCD rituals’ as he was serving, and then he looked at me, and that’s when I flicked him the bird.

“My daughter wasn’t too happy because I’m so embarrassing.

“I was going for the other guy actually because so many people seem to go for Nadal.”

The woman denied Nadal’s hypothesis she was enjoying gin or tequila, saying she only had one “glass of bubbly” all day.

“Alcohol does make one become less inhibited but I’m pretty much like that anyway,” she said. “I’m a bit out there.”

No regrets.

She got more boos than cheers on the way out.

Calling herself a “tennis aficionado” who comes down to Melbourne from Sydney every year for the Australian Open, the woman wasn’t a fan of the way security handled the situation even though she had quickly become the most unpopular person at Melbourne Park.

“They were very rude. They said, ‘Right, you have to go’ and I said, ‘Why? I’m a spectator, I’ve paid for my tickets, why aren’t I allowed to be a bit vocal?’” the woman told Mitchell.

Originally published as The fan who gave Rafa Nadal the finger speaks out: ‘He’s boring’