Father of Mary Pierce Ejected During Match, Not Allowed Back

Jim Pierce, the controversial father of French tennis player Mary Pierce, was removed by security guards from a court where his daughter was playing her match Friday at the French Open, and will be barred for the rest of the tournament.

Pierce, who has had a long-running feud with the tennis establishment over his conduct as a spectator during his daughter’s matches, as well as the degree of influence he wields over his daughter’s tennis career, was sitting in the stands at Court 11 while Mary Pierce played a third-round match against Kimberly Po.

According to Georgina Clark of the Women’s Tennis Assn., Pierce was “causing a disturbance” during the match and was warned by security officials to keep quiet.

“He was interrupting the match and shouting out and disturbing Mary as she played,” Clark said.

Clark would not say whether Pierce requested that her father be removed. Mary Pierce refused comment on the incident, which occurred after she lost the first set to Po.

Pierce won, 6-7 (7-4), 6-3, 6-3.