ATP Challenger event in Brazzaville, Congo interrupted by reported gunfire near tournament site

Play was briefly suspended Tuesday at the ATP Brazzaville Challenger not due to rain or other inclement weather, but due to reported gunfire in the area.

Just outside the tournament site where Guy Den Ouden and Ivan Denisov were competing in their first-round match, violent noises from the streets disrupted play with Den Ouden leading 6-1, 2-2.

A live stream of the match also appeared to show smoke or gas emerging from the other side of the fenced-off courts.

Watch the full scene unfold in the video clip below.

Speculation ran rampant on social media about the causes of the interruptions, with users even suggesting the cause was a skirmish between civilians and the military.

The official X, formerly Twitter, account of the ATP Challenger Tour later said that the disruption was a "routine training exercise" at a local police academy.

"We can confirm that play was temporarily suspended today at the Brazzaville Challenger in the Republic of Congo due to a routine training exercise conducted by a nearby police academy," the statement read.

"The suspension lasted approximately 10 minutes, after which play resumed without issue."

One of four Challenger events being held around the world this week, the capital of Republic of the Congo is hosting tennis for the second year in a row.

No other disruptions, violent or otherwise, have since deterred attention from the on-court action.