(Video) Furious Moroccan Fans Attack Colombian Tennis Players with Bottles After Nicolas Mejia’s Shush Celebration in Davis Cup

Controversy erupted during the 2026 Davis Cup World Group 1 tie between Morocco and Colombia held on Sunday (February 8). In front of the crowd at the Union Sportive Marocaine Tennis Club in Casablanca, Hicham Arazi and his players needed two wins to stay alive in the competition, but they faltered.

Juan Sebastian Gomez and Nicolas Barrientos beat Karim Bennani and Younes Lalami Laaroussi in doubles, winning with a scoreline of 7-6, 7-6. Then Colombian tennis ace Nicolas Mejia, after clinching an easy win in the first set, dropped the next before registering a 6-1, 4-6, 6-2 victory over Reda Bennani.

Right after his victory, Mejia celebrated the win with a ‘shut up’ celebration by placing his finger to his lips, and this provocative celebration triggered an altercation between both sides, and also riled up the home crowd, who started to throw bottles at the Colombian players. The players were later escorted to the hotel.

Watch the video here:

🌶️C'était chaud au Maroc contre la Colombie.

Nicolás Mejía a provoqué le public et quelques membres du staff après sa victoire.

Si tu chauffes, il faut accepter le retour de bâton. C'est le jeu et cela fait partie du charme des rencontres sous tension.pic.twitter.com/egSXNAK2rJ

— Tennis Legend (@TennisLegende) February 8, 2026

The World No.177, who turned pro in 2019, failed to qualify for the main draw of this year’s Australian Open. After defeating Otto Virtanen, he lost to Wu Yibing in the second qualifying match. Later at the Challenger Oeiras, Mejia suffered a straight-set defeat at the hands of Daniil Glinka in the fourth round.

Nicolas Mejia defends himself after Davis Cup controversy

After sparking backlash through his shut-up celebration, Nicolas Mejia later took to X to admit that he shouldn’t have produced the shush celebration before revealing that he did not hurl insults at anyone.

Thanks for commenting on what really happened, Sebas. My celebration probably wasn’t the best, but I’d been putting up with insults against me and my family the whole match from the crowd, and insults from the opposing team and captain. I let it out, and that’s it. But I didn’t insult anyone.

Nicolas Mejia wrote

Check out his post here:

Gracias por comentar lo que pasó de verdad Sebas. Seguramente mi celebración no fue la mejor pero llevaba horas aguantando insultos a mi y mi familia todo el partido por parte del público e insultos del equipo y capitán contrario. Me desahogué y ya. Pero no insulté a nadie https://t.co/AFEHkCTmCC

— Nicolas Mejia (@nicomejia00) February 8, 2026

When a tennis page on X shared the clip of the incident, accusing Mejia of provoking the crowd and some members of the staff, he hit back, defending his action.

You don’t know what happened. All the time people threaten me and my family. Moroccan team on my face and trying to make people scream at me more every point. Zero fair play. Better get your facts before talking what you don’t know.

Nicolas Mejia wrote

Check out his post here:

You don’t know what happened. All the time people threaten me and my family. Morrocan team on my face and trying to make people scream at me more every point. Zero fair play. Better get your facts before talking what you don’t know

— Nicolas Mejia (@nicomejia00) February 8, 2026

Journalist Jose Moron also shared a clip of the incident, and in the comment section, Mejia reiterated that the crowd kept insulting him and his family, and this prompted him to react in that manner.

You should also say that they were insulting me the entire match, that they threatened me and my family, and that the same members of Morocco were shouting and inciting the crowd right in my face the whole game.

Nicolas Mejia wrote on X

Check out his post here:

También deberías decir que estuvieron insultándome todo el partid, que me amenazaron a mí y mi familia y los mismos integrantes de Marruecos estuvieron gritando e incitando al público en mi cara todo el partido

— Nicolas Mejia (@nicomejia00) February 8, 2026

The 25-year-old reached a career-high ranking of No.168 earlier this January. In doubles, he reached his career-best No.153 in November 2022. At present, he is the No.2 Colombian tennis player.

Mejia played his career’s first Grand Slam qualifiers at the 2023 French Open, losing to Federico Delbonis in the first match. He then featured in two more Grand Slam qualifying rounds- in 2025 (lost in his second match against Benjamin Hassan) and in 2026.

So far in his career, Mejia has met two top 10 players: Kei Nishikori at the 2024 Davis Cup World Group 1 and Cameron Norrie at the 2023 Davis Cup. He has so far won three titles from seven finals in Challengers.

Also read: Ex-ATP Pro Thinks Carlos Alcaraz ‘Shouldn’t Have Been’ in Australian Open Final