Not all heroes wear capes.
Australian Open chair umpire James Keothavong has become an unlikely hero after chasing a fan who seemingly stole a player’s towel on Monday afternoon.
China’s Zhu Lin claimed a 6-2 6-4 straight sets victory over Canadian Rebecca Marino on Court 14 to book her place in the second round in Melbourne Park.
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But after the players shook hands at the net, Keothavong was informed that a spectator had pinched one of Zhu’s towels resting at the edge of the court.
“Somebody just took your towel,” Marino told Zhu.
Keothavong immediately spun around and yelled: “Oh, oh, wait!”
The British match official climbed out of his chair and bolted into the crowd as Zhu celebrated her triumph.
It’s currently unknown whether Keothavong caught the culprit.
Keothavong, one of the most respected officials in the sport, served as chair umpire for last year’s French Open men’s singles final, where Spanish superstar Rafael Nadal won a 14th Roland Garros title.
Zhu will face No. 32 seed Jill Teichmann in the second round, with their contest scheduled for 1.30pm AEDT on Wednesday afternoon on Court 3.
The 28-year-old, ranked No. 87 in the world, has never made it past the second round of the Australian Open.
