Confused reported congratulates French Open loser
At a press conference after Nicolas Mahut's match at the French Open, things got a bit uncomfortable when a reporter congratulated the French tennis player... after he lost his opening-round match.
"Congratulations."
"Congratulations? I lost."
"You lost? Oh, OK. So, what happened out there?"
Ouch! Talk about rubbing salt in the wound. It was definitely a short-lived conversation.
ESPN sportscaster Steve Weissman tweeted out this image of the transcribed exchange:
This is hilarious. Don't ask questions if you haven't seen the match!!! (h/t @espnprim) #FrenchOpenpic.twitter.com/kuluxcZGh0
- Steve Weissman (@SWeissmanESPN) May 26, 2014
A writer for SB Nation says the interviewer's lack of awareness was "stunning laziness."
"This member of the media decided his primer on the match was 'I heard you won,' and never looked into it more."
Fox News said, "It's been awhile since I was covering a press conference, but I pretty much know you should watch the game or the match before you actually ask better questions."
But ESPN was a bit gentler on the journalist.
"The mortified reporter meant no harm and was clearly hornswoggled by someone."
Mahut was defeated by 26-year-old Russian tennis player Mikhail Kukushkin.