Boxing legend Mike Tyson also made an appearance at the tennis tournament in Berlin. However, tennis was not the only reason for his visit to the capital.
French Open champion Coco Gauff lost her opening match at the Berlin tennis tournament in front of boxing icon Mike Tyson. The 58-year-old sat in one of the boxes with his wife Lakiha Spicer and enjoyed an ice cream as the American lost 3-6, 3-6 to China’s Wang Xinyu. However, Tyson left the Steffi Graf Stadium after the first set, accompanied by a large entourage.
The former world champion is currently in Berlin for the “Marry Jane” hemp fair. Tyson owns cannabis farms and distributes his marijuana products in several US states.
Tyson and Gauff, who is ranked second in the world, know each other well. At the age of 15, the two-time Grand Slam tournament winner trained with the former heavyweight boxer. Tyson has also watched his compatriot play at the US Open.
Tyson is not the only celebrity to drop by the grass court tournament in Grunewald. Musician Marius Müller-Westernhagen and basketball world champion Moritz Wagner were also in the audience.
The celebrity turnout was smaller when world number one Aryna Sabalenka advanced to the quarterfinals of the WTA 500 tournament. The Belarusian won against Switzerland’s Rebeka Masarova 6-2, 7-6 (8-6) after a slight delay. The match had been interrupted on Wednesday evening after the first set because the court had become too slippery.
German players are no longer in the tournament after Eva Lys’ early exit. Many top players are using the tournament in Berlin to prepare for Wimbledon, the third Grand Slam tournament of the year, which begins on June 30.