Blasting China for severe pollution, the involved party protests innocence; Lindeknech: Reporter took words out of context and maliciously misled.

As the Shanghai Masters heated up and competition grew fiercer, the widely spread severe pollution controversy in China unexpectedly reversed, with the French player Lindeknech openly proclaiming his innocence.

After defeating Mickelson in straight sets in the second round, Lindeknech was interviewed by L'Equipe and likely did not expect that once the content was revealed, it would push him into the center of public controversy overnight.

“We all know that major Chinese cities suffer serious pollution, which definitely hampers normal breathing. Also, the pervasive cloud cover means when sunlight breaks through, temperatures quickly soar beyond 30 degrees, making the competition extremely challenging,” Lindeknech said in the interview, describing Shanghai’s intense heat and suffocating weather. These remarks were not unusual since many players had complained about the harsh conditions, with some even withdrawing due to the weather. However, when he shifted the conversation to criticize China’s severe pollution, it was like throwing a stone into a calm lake, causing an uproar in public opinion!

When criticizing Lindeknech, many accused him of speaking falsehoods. Whether the air is polluted and if it is as severe as he claimed is best proven by relevant weather quality monitoring data and personal experiences. Because the facts did not align with his severe claims, the situation escalated, leading to harsh criticism from fans and netizens directed at the Frenchman.

Some even questioned whether Lindeknech’s comments reflected hostility toward China. Previously, Townsend and Musetti had caused controversy: Townsend made inappropriate remarks about Chinese cuisine, and Musetti insulted Chinese people after a Frenchman coughed, resulting in their reputations plummeting in China. Under such sensitive circumstances, Lindeknech’s failure to be cautious and his direct attack on China’s pollution—based on inaccurate statements—made it clear what consequences awaited him.

As the controversy grew louder in public discourse, many hoped Lindeknech would calm the situation, expecting him to correct his attitude and at least issue a public apology.

It was assumed that after his upset win over Zverev in the third round, he would take action, like Townsend and Musetti did by apologizing quickly to minimize damage. Instead, he remained defiant, which only increased the volume of criticism against him.

Just when everyone thought Lindeknech’s refusal to apologize would worsen the situation beyond control, the truth he revealed when speaking again about the matter surprised many.

“The past few days have indeed been hot and humid; many players, fans, ball boys, and referees struggled, and that is a fact. But I did not complain specifically about anything. I am extremely angry at the reporter’s approach, very angry!” Lindeknech clarified, stating he never complained about China’s pollution. When the media interview was published, he was shocked and immediately called the L'Equipe reporter to strongly express his dissatisfaction, questioning why the content was taken out of context and how it caused him great trouble during the tournament.

Lindeknech’s words seem to partly explain why he has not apologized. Many now speculate that when he communicated with the reporter about the negative public impact, he hoped the reporter would clarify the situation himself, which would be more credible than Lindeknech speaking out. Unexpectedly, after the controversy escalated, the reporter abandoned responsibility, leaving Lindeknech to face the backlash alone.

Lindeknech revealed that during the interview, the L'Equipe journalist kept steering the conversation toward “Is Shanghai very hot and humid?” He agreed that was true and honestly responded, “It is indeed very hot.”

Moreover, regarding the sensitive issue of severe city pollution that offended many Chinese fans and netizens, Lindeknech fully disclosed the original truth.

“The reporter asked if air pollution made things worse. I said maybe. My point was that all major cities worldwide have some level of air pollution, whether Paris, London, or New York. Shanghai cannot have zero pollution, just as Paris cannot,” Lindeknech emphasized. He did acknowledge city pollution but spoke generally, not specifically targeting Shanghai. He was shocked that media reports twisted this into a different narrative, placing him in opposition to Chinese fans and netizens.

After clarifying the truth to Chinese media, Lindeknech hoped they could help explain the full story and restore his reputation. He never intended to hurt the feelings of Chinese fans or netizens and considers himself a victim in this matter.(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Moonlit River Starry Sky)