By Shruti Sunderraman

You know that annoying feeling when you’re driving down a tough road and a passenger keeps running a commentary about how you should drive? Imagine being a four time tennis Grand Slam champion and being told where to serve by a heckler on the stands. That’s exactly what happened to former WTA world number one Kim Clijsters at the exhibition game for  Wimbledon’s women’s doubles.

Clijsters was in discussion with her Australian doubles partner Rennae Stubbs on whether her next serve should be placed “wide or down the middle”. This is when an Irish fan Chris Quinn shouted from the stands for Clijsters, telling her to send her next serve “to the body”.

But if you got cheek, she got some more. Not only did Clijsters not let the heckler’s comments slide, she invited him to court to make a point. She then asked him to return her serve to ‘show her how it’s done’. Hilarity ensued on court while Clijsters  got him a spare white skirt to wear (players are required to wear white on the Wimbledon court). Quinn, sportingly agreed. He put on the white skirt and waited to return Clijsters’ serve. Clijsters meanwhile, was on all fours at the unfolding scene. The crowd joined her in laughter. Talk about turning a tense moment into an endearing one.

“That’s a man. In a skirt. Trying to return Kim Clijsters’ serve”

Always expect the unexpected in the invitation doubles…#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/lsArQJe4Rg

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 14, 2017

Quinn answered Clijsters serve but aimed too high. He completely missed the second one. Serves him right.

While hilarity ensued, the point made was loud and clear. You loudmouth unwarranted advice at players, you might end up finding yourself in the thick of the action. 

Quinn appears to have learnt his lesson as he tweeted to Clijsters saying, 

Thank you for going easy on me with the serve. You have made me a bigger hero to my 3 daughters who worship you BTW.

— chris (@chrisquinnirl) July 15, 2017

Clijsters, sportingly, replied to Quinn.

You were awesome! Nice meeting you Chris ! 🙂

— Kim Clijsters (@Clijsterskim) July 15, 2017

The commentator of the match hilariously broke down the turn of events on court. He said, “That’s a man, in a skirt, trying to return Kim Clijsters serve – it’s 2017 people. They’ve completely forgotten there is a tennis match going here.”

Of course they haven’t, dear commentator, they’re setting the record straight.