Posted By Kevin Jacobs, Sun Staff

While my two female predictions to fare well in this year’s Australian Open were promptly eliminated from contention today, there was a much more serious cause for alarm at Melbourne Park Friday.

Shortly after third seed, Serbia’s Novak Djokovic, outlasted Bosnian-born, American Amer Delic in a fourth set tiebreak, pandemonium broke loose. Just steps outside the arena, still in the park confines, Serbian and Bosnian fans began to riot. Chairs were hurled back and forth, and police had to step in. Reportedly, about thirty people were involved, and eventually escorted out of the park. Check out the video here on ESPN.

A day before the match even began Delic, 26, had urged fans through multiple media outlets to remember his match against Djokovic was about tennis, and only tennis. In fact, Delic and Djokovic are friends, hugging after their grueling and passion-filled match.

The conflict between Bosnia and Serbia has been raging for years, and was previously a problem at the Open in 2007. When approximately 150 fans were ejected from the park for a giant brawl involving any weapon at hand.

There are few appalling things about sports, but this display of so-called patriotism or support is ugly and unwarranted. There’s no place for such extreme violence and hatred in sports, especially one that’s supposed to be as upstanding and courteous as tennis. Passion for a team or player is understandable and encouraged, but the intermingling of politics leads to issues too incendiary.

While no one was seriously injured during yesterday’s incident, such events have the capability to escalate very quickly. What if someone had been stabbed or beaten to death? It’s disappointing, sad, and maddening that that people harbor such hate. The violence needs to stop.

Politics and sports have always had an interesting and sometimes volatile relationship, but events like today’s prove that the two should be separated. Sports are sports, not political gatherings or events. It’s unfair to place political pressure and responsibility on athletes who just want to play the game.

What do you think? Is there a place for politics in sports?