British number one Johanna Konta has left the court in tears after allegedly being verbally abused by fans during her Fed Cup match against Sorana Cirstea in Constanta this afternoon.
Konta was leading her Romanian rival 6-2 1-3 before play was suspended after Romanian captain Ilie Nastase was sent from the court for unsportsmanlike conduct.
Nastase, a former world number one, has been involved in a number of controversial incidents during the build-up to the match, including an alleged racist comment about the unborn child of Serena Williams.
Nastase launched a vicious tirade at a British journalist regarding the manner in which they reported his comments and subsequently celebrated a key point for Cirstea during today's match too enthusiastically for the umpire's liking.
After being given a warning for unsportsmanlike conduct, the team captain was then told to leave the stands entirely, after which Cirstea broke Konta while being roared on by a raucous home crowd.
Play was then suspended as British captain Anne Keothavong consoled Konta, while Simona Halep pleaded with the fans to calm down.
The stoppage lasted around 15 minutes before both players returned to the court to resume the match.
Barney Corkhill
