Russian tennis star Daniil Medvedev proved that he’s not messing around this Australian Open campaign.
He opened his journey to the final with a straight-sets win over Marcos Giron on Monday (January 16).
The two-time finalist was certainly fired up for his opening game, and that perhaps boiled over with an odd clash with a spectator.
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As he was 5-2 up in the final set, and getting ready to serve up to take home the win he could be seen stopping before turning toward a fan in the crowd.
He then appeared to tell one fan to ‘f**k off’ in quite an abrupt fashion that caused an audible gasp from the rest of those in Rod Laver Arena.
Medvedev was subsequently given a warning by the umpire for an audible obscenity.
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The athlete shook his head in response.
Former British player Tim Henman described it as a ‘very strange time’ for Medvedev to be going off at a fan, just before he was about to take home the win.
He said: “It was a very good performance but a really strange ending with the last two points with his reaction and swearing at someone in the audience.
“Maybe a bit of an afterthought from last year.”
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The 26-year-old had issues with fans at the Australian Open last year, at one time complaining to the chair umpire that he was being heckled by ‘empty-brained… idiots’.
At the time, Medvedev claimed that the fans’ response to to him was partly attributable to his Russian nationality.
He said: “That sound. It’s disappointing. It’s disrespectful. I’m not sure after 30 years I’m going to want to play tennis.
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“I think nationality plays a key.
“I can definitely see when you [are] playing somebody from the other country, they would go for them and not for [the] Russian… or something like this.
“I feel there is a lot more buzz about tennis in Russia right now. Hopefully, we’ll try to get more people to go for us.”
His win against Giron sets up a second-round clash against Aussie wildcard John Millman.
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Following his first-round matchup Medvedev said: “Really happy with the match, Marcos is a tough opponent and to beat him with this score in the first round of a Slam is great.
“I’m really happy about my level.”
Topics: Tennis, Australia, Australian Open
Jayden Collins