A Queens resident who ran out onto the tennis court at Arthur Ashe Stadium last night and hugged tennis player Rafael Nadal following his US Open match has been charged with criminal trespass and interfering with a professional sporting event, authorities announced today.
Noam U. Aorta, 23, of Briarwood, is awaiting arraignment in Queens Criminal Court on charges of third-degree criminal trespass and interfering with a professional sporting event.
If convicted, Aorta faces up to one year in jail and civil penalties of $5,000.
Queens DA Richard Brown said that Aorta entered the playing area at the Arthur Ashe Tennis Stadium in Flushing Meadows just after midnight and approached Nadal, who had just won a fourth-round US Open match against Gael Monfils.
As Nadal was changing his shirt, Aorta allegedly rushed Nadal and hugged and kissed him before security personnel grabbed him.